The Hunter's rest and Bath house
by Draguna Doragon
Summary: Guan, Dachande and Kantra are workers at the bath house,Kantra is human found by the Mistress. They serve at a rest house for the Yautja on homeworld, but what happenes when the Cor'ja, the most ruthless clan make a visit? and their Leader is not what he
1. Chapter 1

"Mistress, tell me. Who is that and why is an Ooman here?" Paya turned her aged neck to the younger voice. The Yautja who had addressed her was young by far. He couldn't only barely be a young Blood hunter at most.

"And what is your name young one?" she clicked and sat her aching body in her reception chair. The warrior was around 6 to 7 feet tall, had brown dreads and only his simple body mesh and hanging cloth. His sandals were at the door, as was the rules she held.

"I am Thwei Mistress. I come as a scout for the leader of my Clan and his son."

"So you are the scout, come to see if my little establishment is worthy of your Elders have you?" she clattered softly and wheezed slightly. She was getting old…

"Yes Mistress. And I can not see to come to terms with the sheer size of this place." The entrance was as large as a palace hall. The floors had a Japanese like theme to it with the wooden floors, walls, ceiling and many levels. The first floor was the reception and welcome area, where the Mistress of the Bath house signed the guests in and greeted them. Then there was a set of steps to the left and right, leading to the next level. This level was the dining level, a whole level for serving food and drinking C'ntlip until happily sedated. Then next level was the heat level, filled with individual sauna's and steam rooms. Then the soothing level, where massages and body rubs were performed with the best scented oils in the universe. Then was the soak level, where the famous boiling hot and freezing cold baths were, set to the perfect temperature for each guest. The level up from that was the community section. Here, the guest could interact in comfy chairs, converse on past hunts and drink together like old friends, and new ones. The levels up from them were the private quarters, all 5 of them. The rooms were graded by the rank of the guests and all were of the finest quality of silks and dark, crimson mahogany pine. The vast gardens were dedicated to training, sparring grounds and held tournaments in the outer square, tilled ring. Paya herself lived in a little cottage attached to the back of the Bath house, with a perfect view of the garden.

Paya smiled as the young hunter looked around with awe. After being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder, Paya had to retire from hunting at a young age. Only slightly older than this young hunter before her. Back then she was arrogant, furious with her 'doctor's suggestion', that was forced, and needed to accomplish something with her life. She had been banned from every hunt to keep her healthy, as over exertion could result in her blood blotting in her veins and killing her. So she was forced to stay on 'home world' with no trophies, no victories and no honour. Because of this, no mate wanted her and she remained alone for all her life. So she ended up looking for an alternative, something she could do that would still make her name known to her world, which was going to be hard as she was simply an ETA now. ETA's were mostly crippled or lame Yautja who couldn't go on hunts and were untouchable. She was at the bottom of the pecking order, next were the Unblooded (young pups in training for the hunt), then the Young Bloods (Recently blooded Yautja. They are young, reckless, full of ambition and feel full of pride once they have collected the skull of their kill, which amuses the more experienced hunters), next the Blooded (The only difference between the BLOODED and the YOUNG BLOODS is that the BLOODED have more experienced but still not classed high among the great hunters). Then came the Honoured, the Elite of Yautja society. They have earned more kills than the average hunter and are skilled in all ways. Above them were the Elders. The greatest Yautja that have ever lived, they have survived a thousand hunts. They have hunted so much that they look for other means of sport. Consequently, they are more compassionate and disciplined than most other Yautja. Many have learned new fighting techniques over the ages. And at the very top, were the Arbitrators, the Yautja police that mainly consist of Elders who are bored with the Hunt. They represent judge, jury, and executioner. There are no appeals to their decisions. They were the 'top dogs' of Yautja society. And she was at the very bottom.

"This place is amazing. Not even the mother ship I come from is this vast in space."

"Oh young one. Is there anything I can do to make your troubles less?"

"Well, I did ask you a question, which you have yet to answer." He looked back to her and leaned on the mahogany like wooden reception desk. Paya smiled her wrinkled mandibles and leaned closer to him.

"Well, Thwei. Firstly, we will have none of this Mistress business. My name is Paya."

"But."

"No buts. And as for her…" Both Yautja looked to the left and towards one set of steps. There, were three girls. One was 8 feet with long black dreadlocks to her waist. She had sparkling golden eyes, light cream skin and darker mottled skin on her back, the backs of her arms and legs, framing her face and neck. She had broad shoulders and a muscular body. The second had slightly darker skin and was far smaller in size, a mere 6 feet and had a more, elegant and trim figure than the first. She had bright yellow eyes and brown dreads, sonly coming to her shoulders. But the third girl, was like nothing any Yautja had ever seen. It was an Ooman, with the muscular frame of a Yautja, broad shoulders, shapely legs, peachy skin, wild blood red wavy hair down to her waist with a side parting, so one eye was always hidden by her fringe. Her eyes were a brilliant Emerald green and she had lush lips. All the girls wore a blue halter neck bikini top, all with sufficient breasts to fill them, a blue hanging cloth that showed off their legs and left their back, arms, legs, stomach, neck and cleavage bare and on show. The three girls were giggling amongst themselves and scrubbing the steps happily, unbeknownst to the attention they were getting form the Mistress and the scouter Hunter.

"They are workers. The eldest and tallest is Guan, as her hair is as pitch dark as night. The second eldest is Dachande, as her tongue can be as razor sharp as any dagger, but on the inside she is truly delicate, like the most elegant of hand knifes. And the third, the youngest."

"The Ooman." He added.

"Yes, she is Ooman. But she is also my Daughter so I would like you to show your respect."

"Your what! But she is."

"If you would let me finish young Thwei, I will explain. I have a rare blood condition. It means that if my blood travels too quickly through my veins, it will clot and block them, killing me."

"So that is why you are not a huntress with your Noble blood. You are not well enough to attend them. I feel sorry for you, there is noting quite like the hunt."

"Oh, I know what it is like to attend a hunt."

"But I thought you said."

"Once again. you didn't let me finish…"

_**Flash back**_

"But that isn't fair!"

"Paya you drive me and your mother, and the council, to distraction!" Paya watched as her father paced madly up and down the room. she was a middle aged Yautja female, with no trophies, no liberties or freedom and no mate. She wasn't getting any younger and desperately wanted a child of her own. She had prayed to the great gods for a long time for a pup of her own, but she knew that wasn't going to happen without a mate. And she would never get a mate if she wasn't worthy enough. The only answer to her problems, was the hunt. "You are not well enough to train, yet I find you pushing yourself to your limits, and beyond in the training room. You are not well enough to hunt, yet your name is on the list for the next hunting party. Why do you do this? Do you want to die?"

"I would rather die in battle, with an honourable death, than whither away here, afraid of my own shadow. How will I ever know the thrill of the hunt, the birthright of our people, if you forbid me from the hunt! I have the right and passed my trails before you knew of my illness. What has changed but a diagnosis, which might be incorrect?"

"Paya you know full well that the diagnosis was not wrong. I don't want to lose you…" Paya looked away as her father knelt at her feet, and held her hands to his face. "You are my only daughter and I love you dearly."

"Then let me go on the hunt. just one hunt. just one I beg of you."

"No. I can not allow it. I will let you do as you wish as long as your health and well being isn't at risk."

"Then you will never let me do as I wish." The silence between Paya and her father ebbed away at his sanity, until it drove him from her room. Paya cried on her bed until she was sure there were no tears left for her to cry. Then she got an idea. "Father, if you will not let me go on the hunt, then I will run away. if you will not let me go with pride, then I will go alone, a lone wolf, behind your back and bring you back the greatest prize of them all."

_**End flash back**_

"You mean you went on the hunt? After everything your father said Mistress Paya?"

"Yes. I snuck aboard the hunting ship the next day, and trained hard until we came to an Ooman, occupied planet. But there were no Ooman life forms left from the hard meat outbreak. The hunting party landed at the site and we all began our right, our livelihoods and commenced, the hunt. I was hidden beneath my mask, unknown to the others and by their side."

"Did you kill many hard meats?" Thwei leaned closer to her and was enthralled in the story.

"I did. In my humble cottage, I have an entire wall of skulls from that single hunt. I saved every kill I made, and brought every skull back with me. To make my father proud."

"Was that the great prize you promised him?"

"No. actually it wasn't. my daughter was the greatest prize of them all. You see."

_**Flash back**_

_We assumed that all the Oomans were dead. And they were._

_Except for one._

Paya swung her Naginata across her front and sliced straight through the hard shell of an attacking Hard meat. She pressed further and followed the Ooman made metal structure, deeper into the building. She had separated from the other Hunters to go it alone, as she wished. That way, all her kills would be hers. All hers.

She gutted another and added its head to her back, strapping it to her, when a crying sound reached her ears. Quickly, she ran with all her might until she found the source of the sound, to find a small bundle of clothing, housing an even smaller baby. Paya was melted and crept towards the baby, only seeing its small body wriggling within the pink cotton prison. As she became a meter away, she saw a hard meat drop from the ceiling and crouch right over the baby. Her blood boiled and she threw her head back, spread her mandibles and roared with all her might. The hard meat screeched and turned to face her, to get a face full of wrist blades down its inner mouth. She severed the flesh from its mouth and lunched at it. She soon sliced it in two and kicked the carcass to one side. the crying soothed to a soft cooing and Paya crouched closer to the bundle until she could gather it in her hand. It was small, like a new born pup as she stood with it. Paya cocked her head to one side as she regarded the small infant. The creature proved to be Ooman with soft peach skin and a wisp of red hair. With one claw she opened the blanket further and looked down at it. The baby opened its eyes and smiled up at her, melting her heart and will instantly. Its big green eyes were beautiful and its skin was so soft, so delicate and vulnerable to danger. She couldn't leave it now. Its mother had been slain by the hard meat, and its father, if not dead from the same fate as its mother, could have been slain by her kind. Paya loaded the newly severed skull onto her back and held the infant to her bosom, clicking and purring softly to it to keep it calm.

"I have prayed to the greats gods that one day I would have my own pup to love and raise. I feel, my prayer has been answered. Prayer…that is what you are. My little prayer. My little…Kantra."

_**End flashback**_

"So I brought her home with me and made my father, angry at first, and then completely proud of my hunts, my trophies, and his adopted grandchild. He died a little after her 6th birthday and joined my mother with the great ones. But I am glad that I did what I did. Always follow your heart young one, and you will never go wrong.

"

"But what I don't understand is, how did you get from having such an adventure, to having such a palace as your business? How did you become the Grand Mistress of the Hunter's rest and bath house?"

"Well, after having my one and only hunt, I needed something to do with my life. As I saw the young girls, running around the streets, homeless, parentless and unloved. I had to take them in. I took al the unwanted children of the streets and raised them to be as you see today. And I ended up having to care for 23 children."

"You were busy." He clattered.

"Indeed I was. But the thought that I had given them somewhere to come to, after all the abuse and grief of their past lives, where they could relax and have fun. I knew it was worth it. That is when the idea of 'The Hunter's rest and Bath house' came to me. Hunters go on hunts and missions with their clans all the time. They get no break, and neither do the Elders or even the Arbitrators. And after my father died, he left me this vast plot of land. So I turned it into what you see today, by hand with my children and there you have it. At first only the local Hunters came, and my children helped me serve them. But soon the word spread fast and we grew bigger and bigger. And that is the history of the hunter's rest and bath house. (cough)." Paya wheezed into her hand and turned away. "I apologise. I am not as young as I used to be."

"I understand. I am honoured that you took the time to tell me your story. And I have one last question."

"Yes young one?"

"This place is like a palace. How many Yautja work here?"

"There is I, the original 23 children, although they are not children anymore, and over a 200 more Yautja workers. Anything else?"

"No Mistress Paya. Thank you for your help. I am sure that my Elders will be coming to stay here very soon. Thank you."

"Oh not at all. You should stay here to."

"I hope to, and I will return soon. Farewell."

"Farewell. Payas Leitjin-de."

"Payas Leitjin-de." Thwei bowed respectively and left through the grand doors. Paya smiled back to her daughters and waved them over as there were no quests in the welcoming hall.

"Yes Grand Mistress?" Guan bowed, as did Dachande and Kantra.

"Girls, that was a young scouting Hunter from the Cor'ja clan. His name was Thwei and he was scouting our bath house to see if it is worthy of his Elders."

"We have many Elders and many clans stay here." Dachande added, and thought deeply. "Yet I have never heard of this Clan."

"That is because they are never usually on home world. They are one of top 3 Warrior clans and the top 1 of them." Paya lifted the desk latch and stepped down to the floor. "Walk with me to my office girls."

"Yes mistress." They all said in unison. Paya walked slowly (due to her age) to the back of the welcoming hall and down a hidden set of stairs behind a large satin curtain. The steps winded in a spiral down another level beneath the ground and wooden torches illuminated the staircase. They were soon on the worker level and walked along the wooden hall. On each side was a door that led to the servants quarters. Paya hated calling them servants, but that is what they were. Though she never treated them like servants. "Now. The Cor'Ja clan are famous and infamous for a very good reason. They are ruthless and very skilled in what they do. The hunt. they never come home unless the High Council of Arbitrators demand it or they are restocking supplies and men. But they usually restock supplies on other planets anyway."

"Are they vicious Mistress?" Dachande piped and held her sides as Guan elbowed them, giving her younger sister a look of 'der'. But Paya answered all the same.

"They are very vicious and have more trophies and honour than all the other clans everywhere combined. And if they come here, I don't need to tell you how important their visit will be for us."

"Do you wish me to brief everyone of the situation after hours?"

"Yes Guan, good girl. And I will be preparing a work schedule for everyone to follow to get this place ready for them. As if I know them, they will give us enough warning to stop booking guests in."

"Will they want the entire rest house to themselves Mistress?"

"Yes Dachande. They will, as they keep to themselves in all situations." At the end of the corridor, was a large red door with 'The Grand Mistress' engraved in gold paint over the top. She opened it and ushered the three girls inside. After closing the door, Paya scuttled behind her large desk and started to sort her books and papers into piles and order. "But there is something else I must tell you. Please, you may wish to sit for this." The girls pulled up a chair and sat before Paya, who continued. "The Cor'Ja are well known for being the Lone wolf Clan. Or the Black vengeance Clan. As from the names you can imagine how…successful they are in battle and how…formidable an opponent they are. We _must_ meet their wishes at all times and ensure that they not only have a relaxing visit, but that they are honoured at all times. The last person who dishonoured one of their clan members…well I don't need to say what happened to him." all three girls gulped as Paya dragged her thumb across her neck and made a dead sign.

"If they are so dangerous, wouldn't the Arbitrators do something about them?"

"No Guan. For they. Well they. They are above the Arbitrators. And I know that doesn't sound right. But they are. And even the Arbitrators wouldn't stand a chance against them if the Cor'ja clan turned against them or even the entire Yautja population. They are just that good."

"They sound like Bad Bloods to me…" Everyone turned to face Kantra. That was the first thing she said yet and rang closer to truth than any of them would like to admit.

"Well, I can understand where you would draw that conclusion from. But they are not actually Bad Bloods. Just…in control of their own. Don't worry; I wouldn't put you in danger. I wouldn't accept them if they were Bad Bloods. Now, I hate to say this. But it actually gets a hell of a lot worse." Paya rubbed her temples and the girls were sat on the edge of their seats.

"Yes mistress?"

"Well. Their leader at present is a Hunter, who is not a Hunter. For no Hunter could chill the spines of every Arbitrator anywhere into submission, like he does. He is a warrior, with God like strength and skill in battle. And out…" Paya saw how ridged all the girls had become, but she had to go on. "He can send your blood cold simply by being near you. His form is as terrifying as his temper. Which is foul and short. He is barely a hunter from age, but he has killed over a hundred Queens Single handed with no weapons and no armour. He stands 9 feet tall with a shadow that could throw even the tallest Arbitrator into darkness. His eyes have no whites to them, but black in white's place. His pupils are chaos black and his eyes blaze red like the fires of Hell. His first action as he came to life, was to kill. And from his physical form, his aura and all his kills, trophies and hunts…he has earnt his name. Cetanu…God, of death." The office was silent.

Paya watched to read the reaction of her closest friends and children. Guan was frozen solid, showing no reaction other than shock. Dachande gasped and held her hands together, cupping her cheeks in fright. And Kantra held her hands over her mouth, her eyes showing her fear for her. "I have taken all of you in as my daughters. I trust you with this information. But I ask that you not share this with the others. Tell them of how important it is, and let them learn the rest the long way. Not before the visit. I will talk to them beforehand, but not before that." they nodded, incapable of saying anything else and got to their feet. All, but Paya and Kantra. Paya nodded and indicated for the two Yautja girls to leave. "I must talk with Kantra alone. She will join you later."

"Yes Mistress."

"Good night Mistress." Guan led Dachande out the office and to their room.

"How can I help you Mistress?"

"Oh please Kantra. I know you like me to treat you like the others, but you are my daughter. I wish for you to at least call me mother in private, if you refuse to do so in public."

"Yes mother." Paya rose to her feet and slowly walked to her daughter.

"I fear I must ask you something that if suggested to me, would cause me offence. I must ask you to remain out of sight when the Cor'ja Clan arrive. They are old-fashioned and will not take an 'Ooman' working here very lightly. I would hate for them to see you as pray…"

"Worry not mother." Kantra giggled and hugged Paya suddenly. "Nothing would please me more to stay out of sight when they come. They all sound awful. Especially that Hunter Leader of theirs."

"Thank you my dear. You just mean so much to me. I don't want to lose you."

"You won't mother. I promise."

"Good. Now go and catch up with Guan and Dachande before they go to sleep without you."

"I will mother. Get some rest."

"I will. Right after I figure out a way to gather a speech together, asking my guests to leave before the Cor'ja arrive." Paya huffed and her grey dreadlocks waved behind her as she turned back to her desk.

"You will do it in the best way possible. I know you will. I love you mother."

"I love you too darling. Never forget that."

"I won't." Kantra smiled, her right eye hidden by her vibrant, blood red hair and her full lips curled warmly. She skipped out the office and went off to find her 'sisters'.

"My little Kantra. My little Prayer..."

"Typical. They went to sleep without me." Kantra rolled her eyes and looked to all the full hammocks. The servant quarters were large rooms with lots of large blue hammocks, three per room. Kantra shared her room with Guan and Dachande. They were the first two street pups that Paya took in the so all three of them grew up together like they were sisters. Only Guan and Dachande were actually sisters. But their father had turned Bad Blood, their mother died and they were disowned by their family because of their father's choice. Only Paya would look after them. And they were grateful for it.

Guan snored with one leg hanging out the hammock as Dachande drooled slightly. "Typical." She chuckled and climbed into the hammock at the far back of the room, curling up with plenty of room (as it was made for Yautja's, not humans) and slipped off to sleep.

AN: this was a long shot, kind of idea. Let me know what you think about it and whether I should continue or not. thanks. Not my usual thing but I like it.

From

Draguna


	2. Chapter 2

_**Chapter 2 **_

"Kantra, Dachande, get your lazy butts out of those hammocks before I tip them out!" Guan yelled as she tried to stir her sister and friend.

"Urgh."

"Five more minuets sis."

"No more minuets, up-and-at-em now!" Guan kicked the wooden post holding the end of Dachande's hammock, and the top of Kantra's up. This made the hammocks twist and dumped them both on the floor.

"Ouch…" Kantra groaned, but Dachande resorted to her usual act in a morning. Whining.

"But Guan that isn't fair! You can't just."

"I think you'll find I just did and get your robes on. We need to get a shower before everyone else does.

"Grrrr!"

"I love you to." Guan smirked as her sister pouted, but did as she was told. "You too Kantra, up and robed."

"Already ready." Kantra tied the robe and had her towel over her shoulder. Why whine, when it's quicker to just get on with it?

All three girls tip toed down the corridor, as to not wake the others and took a shower in the shower room. They were quick and tied their hair or dreadlocks back. Guan tied hers in a plat, Dachande a low pony tail and Kantra had her hair in a bun. They returned to their rooms, pulled on their uniform (which was the blue halter neck bikini top and hanging cloth set from the day before), and waited outside the office. About an hour later, all the other servants, or as Paya liked to call them, staff, were all waiting outside the office. Paya walked down to the hall, unlocked her office and entered it. When she came back, she had a list in her hands.

"Good Morning Staff."

"Morning Mistress." They all groaned, still groggy from sleep.

"Well now, let's get right down to business. I have the schedule for the day right here. Boys from wings A to B are on cooking as usual, C to D are on training ground supervision and activities." The males from C and D groaned. That meant they had to 'entertain' the little pups for hours until they ran out of energy. Which would be all day. Whoopee… "And E and F will scrub the floors 1 through 6, and then swap duties with wings C and D after eating hours." Even louder groans came from that one. "Now for my girls. A to B will assist in the Kitchens, as usual, and C to D will clean the 5 living levels, or room service, during active hours. Until then, clean the floors on those levels. And wings E and F will clean the Baths and saunas, steam rooms and massage rooms. Hop to it and have fun." Paya entered her office to get through the accounts. The Hunter's rest was a business after all. And all businesses had to have their finance in order.

"Great. We are on tub duty. Yuk!" Dachande cringed as she followed the rest of her wing to the Heat and Sooth levels. Once there, they would flip a coin to see which wing got which level. "Please don't let us get the tubs. Not the tubs!" the baths were always filled with the dirt and grime from too many hunts, and smelt rank.

"We will get the tubs now, just you wait and see, just because you've asked for us not to have them, we will. You've jinxed it." Guan teased her sister, like only an older sister could, and followed Kantra. Once on the Heat level, they all stood at the stairs to the Sooth level, just encase.

"Alright, time to flip for it." one of the more butch girls from the other wing, pulled out a fair coin and flipped it. She immediately covered it and looked to Kantra, as always. "Queen, or Arbitrator?"

"…Arbitrator…"

"Ha! It's a Queen. We win and you get the tubs." Guan scowled playfully at her sister.

"Told you so."

"Don't start that again."

"Start what?"

"Start that."

"Start what?"

"Start that."

"What?"

"That."

"What?"

"THAT!"

"Please, please. Calm down." Kantra had to step between them to stop Dachande from scratching Guan's eyes out. "Come on you two. If the guests wake up because of your shouting, at 3 o'clock in the morning, again, then you know Paya will not be all too pleased."

"Your right." Dachande stuck her tongue out.

"But she started it!"

"Just get a bucket and pick a tub will you?"

"Sure, why not. Not like we're going to do anything else today." Guan took a bucket from the cupboard and walked into a tub room. Dachande another and Kantra the next. They filled the bath with boiling water and scrubbed with brushes, sponges and soap. Hours later, after the first layer of grime came off, Guan was out of soap. She came out and peeped into Kantra's tub room. "Kantra, I'm out of soup and this stuff isn't coming off. I think I got the momma and papa of all sweat collectors, not a tub."

"Very funny. And I can't lend you any. I'm running out myself."

"Never mind. I'll just have to get some from the supply cupboard downstairs."

"You could just ask Dachande."

"Not after the way I bugged her this morning. See ya."

"You will learn." Kantra chuckled and went back to her work.

Guan however, made her way into the lobby, after dowsing herself down. You couldn't just walk into the main welcoming hall, covered in dirt and muck. After she was clean, she walked past reception and towards the cupboard. But a man waiting at reception grabbed her arm and made her look at him.

"Excuse me. But where is the Grand Mistress? I told her I would be returning soon, but she appears to be busy."

"I beg your pardon, but the Grand mistress handles guests. I don't."

"Never mind I just need to see her. It is important. You see, I need to instruct her in certain protocols. If she can meet them, then we can consider coming here. If not, then not." Guan gasped as she saw the meanest looking dagger on his waist belt. It had a leather black handle and an acid proof, silver flame like blade.

"You're a Cor'ja…" He pulled on her arm tighter and made her look at him again.

"Yes I am, and I need to see you're mistress."

"I am here Thwei. Leave her alone." Paya got a good impression from this lad the day before, but now he was giving her, alternate thoughts.

"At last. And you wait there." He ordered her and turned back to Paya. "I have a list here. If you can meet these then please, tell me now so that I may inform my Elders."

"You mean Cetanu."

"My My. You certainly have a lot of guts there." He turned to Guan and took her wrist. "To speak his name so willingly, and without fear of punishment." She gasped and tried to pull her wrist back, to no avail. "Not very strong are you. Or smart. I am not a push over; after all, I am a Cor'ja."

"And if you will show me reason good sir." She placed her hand over his wrist and took just as tight a hold on him. "I may surprise you. Now release my wrist, before I break yours." Guan whispered into his ear, and didn't expect to see a grin.

"You're gutsy." He clattered.

"I'm Guan."

"Night. I am Thwei, my name means Blood."

"Fitting as it appears that too much of your own name is going to your head."

"What a tongue you have on you Miss Night."

"Don't give me a pet name, or I will give you one. And it will have the word blood in it." Guan spat and Thwei simply clattered loudly. At first Paya was worried about how Thwei was treating Guan, but now it was just obvious. Thwei liked Guan, he was, in his own way, flirting with her. Guan only thought he was being rude.

"I hope you will personally be taking care of me while I stay here."

"With your best state at heart, I hope not. Now release my hand." Thwei chuckled and threw the paper at Paya. She read it and saw only one condition. Everyone else had to leave. She had guessed at much.

"I can meet these terms."

"Good. And I will be staying too…does this place do massages?"

"Well they."

"No mistress, I was asking Guan." He smirked at her, loving the vicious scowl she gave him.

"Yes, sire." She seethed, her lower mandibles twitching.

"Do _you _give massages?"

"…yes."

"Then I look forward to seeing you, as I will ask for you, _personally_." He chuckled and finally released her arm. "My Elders will have a good review of this place. If they agree, this place needs to be empty before the end of the week." He looked Guan up and down again, who was still scowling. "I look forward to seeing you again, Guan. Miss Lady of the Night." She hissed and raised her hand to hit him, but Paya shuck her head. They both watched as he left, smug with himself and with an excellent review in mind.

"If I ever see that man again!" Guan seethed and clenched her fists.

"Then you will treat him with respect." Paya corrected and placed her hand on Guan's shoulder. "Now my child, why are you not on the upper levels?"

"I came down for some soap…and got abuse…"

"Think not of him. You may never see him again."

"True. I hope not. And as I said, I ran out of soap."

"Here, I have a tray of soap behind reception. Take it and return to your chores young one."

"I will. Thank you Mistress." She bowed her head respectively and reached behind the front table. With the tray in both hands, she bowed again, before leaving to the sooth level. Guan found Kantra just leaving her tub room. "Got some more soap. Need any?"

"Yes, but I have finished this tub."

"What!" Guan almost dropped the tray. "But that was a super tub. It took me hours to scrub the first layer of muck from a single bath. Yours was built for 3! How did you finish it so quickly?"

"She always finishes her work before everyone else." Dachande chirped and took a bar of soap from the tray. "She is super Kantra, master, of the mop! Speaking of which…" a mischievous twinkle grew in her eyes and she ushered the entire wing closer. "C and A have nominated their reps for the games next week. And F and B are on for tomorrow."

"You'll be playing for us again right?" Guan looked to Kantra, along with every other member of the F wing.

"Well…I did it the last 3 times." Kantra raised her hands and looked to the next tub in need of her TLC.

"Oh no you don't. We never win unless you play. Please Kantra, please!" Dachande dropped to her knees and begged.

"Yeah Kantra."

"Come on, we need you to be our rep."

"Come on Kantra!"

"Come on Kantra!" the entire F wing started chanting 'come on Kantra' until she couldn't take anymore of their puppy dog eyes.

"Fine, fine ok. I will do it. but just this once."

"Twice."

"Fine. But then I get a break." She chuckled and spotted a jumbo tub with at least 6 layers of grit stuck to the bottom.

"Let's hear it for Kantra! Master of the mop!"

"Quiet you guys! Before we get in trouble!" Kantra laughed and entered the jumbo bath room, a new bar of soap and sponge in one hand, and a brush in the other. Guan and Dachande waited until they were sure she was well on with her cleaning, before gathering the F wing again.

"50 coins says that Kantra wins in the game tomorrow." Guan folded her arms and faced Vikta, one of the older girls.

"I say, 60 coins that she wins. And I will scrum the floors for winners for a week."

"Are you sure about that sis?"

"Relax D. I know what I am doing. This is Kantra we are betting on. She isn't called, 'the safe bet' for nothing. Watch and learn little sister, watch and learn." Vikta whispered to another girl and clattered.

"I say, we all bet all our coins against the other wings. We are a team, rooting for the same rep. we should gather more together, than less apart."

"Good idea. But I say, she crosses the finish line before Wing F and B, with time to spare."

"No, she has never won with time to spare. She always cuts it close."

"Then why don't we have ourselves a little wager."

"Alright Guan, its your coins on the line. I know I will win. I say she does it with barely a minuet gap in front of the others."

"I say she does it with…" Guan looked to Dachande who held up a full hand. "…over five minuets to spare."

"60 coins?"

"6o coins. Done."

"Done." They shuck hands and got back to work.

Kantra chuckled to herself as she scrubbed the bottom of the tub. _I'm not deaf._ She chuckled again. She had heard everything from her being the mop master, to Guan making a little wager with another F girl. They always bet on her, and always won. Guan used to be the rep for the F wing, but after she fell ill, Kantra filled in and has been pressured into doing it ever since, whenever she can that is. And for the last 3 times, she had given in and played. In actual fact, she loved it. she loved the feeling of victory and the opportunity to prove that she was more than capable of holding her own against anyone. Even though she was Ooman, she could beat any Yautja at any game. And whenever Paya had a doctor's appointment, they gathered in the halls and held their own 'staff tournament'. They would choose the game for the next meeting, as they gathered. So tomorrow, they would decide the game for next week, and so on and so forth. Tomorrow, was the Fakir game. This was where three wings gathered, picked a rep, with a mop each and a bar of soap between them. The aim of the game was to steal the soap from the other opponents and get from the sooth level to the staff level. It was like hockey, but with a mop as a hockey stick and the soap as the puck.

Kantra panted as her aching arms moved back and forth on the aged sponge. The soap got the grime off, but only with a lot of elbow grease. It was hard work and she did it gladly. Paya had saved her life, she knew that. She gave her such friends, family and a loving roof over her head. So she didn't mind working hard. Besides, it kept her in good shape to do her chores, and her friends were always fun to be around. Dachande always seemed to get some sort of goo in her hair, even in the basement (boiler room), she always became filthy. Kantra chuckled. She remembered the day in the boiler two years ago. They had to restock the boiler with wood from the forest and Guan was busy painting the walls in the welcome hall with the other wings. Dachande had stayed with Kantra and both carried more than their share of wood. They stocked the wood pile and filled the actual boiler. As Dachande put her wood down, it kicked up a large fog of black soot and covered her from head to foot. Kantra didn't stop laughing for hours and neither did Guan when she found out. Just the memory of Dachande's fuming temper as she scrubbed herself down in the showers kept her smiling all day. When every bath in the sooth level was spotless, Wing F had the afternoon off and dragged themselves downstairs to the staff level. Guan had red marks on her shins form getting down on the floor, Dachande had friction burns on her knees and Kantra had sore hands.

"Ouch."

"Ow."

"Arrrr." All three girls moaned as they slummed into their room. Guan collapsed on her hammock and Dachande simply curled up on the floor, in too much pain to bend her knees. "This bites, again."

"It always does D." Guan groaned and put her hands under her head. "Better than 'activities'." She clattered. Dachande joined in and even Kantra smiled.

"Actually, I agree with you. I can imagine it now, tens of pups running amuck over the gardens, and the boys trying to catch them." D chuckled and pulled herself into her hammock. "Ow."

"That is us tomorrow you know."

"What?" Guan whined. D pretended to cry and looked to Kantra.

"How do you know that?"

"I saw Paya's schedule for tomorrow under the one for today. F are on activities with E tomorrow."

"Oh Gods! And Bakkub is here this week!" Guan whimpered and screwed her face in her hands. "That means all 20 of his little brats to watch for at least 8 hours while he and his mate relax. Al boys too."

"No, that's next week."

"Really?"

"Yep.

"Thank the Gods. Who is here this week then?"

"Bayla, and her 6 daughters."

"Even worse! The boys were brats, those girls are spoilt brats!"

"I call the youngest 2." Kantra chuckled at the frowns on her friends' faces.

"No fair, they are the _least _brat like."

"And that's why I called them." Kantra opened the window and looked out to the Sky with her arms resting on the windowsill. Only the boiler room was underground. The staff level was actually the ground level, but the front steps led up to the next floor, the welcoming hall. She closed her eyes and sniffed deeply. A smile traced her lips and she turned to the two occupied hammocks. "It's going to rain tonight. I love it when it rains." She returned to gaze at the cloudless pink and yellow sky. Guan and Dachande dragged themselves from their hammocks and walked over to her.

"Hay. It's time to eat. You remember that don't you? Food, we need it to live."

"I'll be there later. You two go on without me."

"Time to think again?"

"Yeah…" she became lost in the sky and didn't even hear Guan pull her sister out the room, and close the door.

_It's beautiful tonight. _

Kantra had been staring at the sky, just watching it slowly grow darker and counting every new star as it shone through the clouds. She took hold of the window ledge, and pulled herself up to sit on it. she swung her legs round and reached over to the huge drain pipe. When she had a tight hold on it, she reached across the wooden wall with one, bare foot until it came to rest on a thick bolt. With many years of practice, she pulled away from the sill and placed her other hand on the pipe, and her other foot on the bolt next to the one her left foot rested on. Slowly, she scaled the pipe upwards, making sure to duck away from the windows. After 15 minuets, she was at the very top of the mansion like guest house and sat on the flat roof, watching the moon replace the dazzling suns. Bringing night's chill instead of day's heat. _I love this place. _ She looked to the right and saw the now empty gardens. _Soon the mated couples will walk those paths, reliving old battles and first meetings. _She looked to the left and saw an outside restaurant. At night, the white canopy would glow from the moonlight and littered night lights. Candles would illuminate the tables with a romantic lull and the finest wines would be consumed there. _Lovers will love and woo each other there soon…_

True, she had everything she ever wanted at the Hunter's rest. A job, a loving mother, trusting, honest friends, fond memories and a safe place to sleep at night. She was fed, looked after and looked out for. But there was one thing she wanted more than anything.

_Love…_

She would come here to watch the mated couples walk together and hold hands, be intimate when no one lese was looking and watch the stars. She envied them for the peace and fulfilment they had found in each other. Kantra dreamt like any young girl would, of a skilled hunter coming in through the window at night and sweeping her off her feet. Of finding love, having pups. That was all she wanted. Love. But this was also the thing she would never have. Kantra held herself and looked to the full moon. Its light made her soft skin glow and the light wind made her red locks wave in the breeze. A single tear fell down her cheek and fell to the wind. Her only companion.

"That's it damn it! we are going to get her and now!" Dachande and Guan could see through the skylight on the top floor. There, they could see Kantra holding her knees to her chest and crying softly.

"No D. she needs this. She needs her time alone to think. she can't be happy all the time, she needs this."

"But we're her friends." D huffed. "We shouldn't let her just do this, cry to the stars. We should be the ones she tells her wows to, not the wind…"

"When she is ready she will talk to us about it. But until then, leave her be. She just isn't ready to talk about it yet. She just isn't ready."

"She hardly even eats anymore…she fainted last week."

"I got a doggy bag for her. Don't worry, I thought of her."

"I thought of her too. I got her a flask of water."

"Good. Now let's wait for her to come home. Then we will force feed her if we have to."

"Alright…I just worry about her."

"So do I D, so do I." she led her younger sister to the stairs and back to the staff level. They waited there for her all night. But she didn't come back.

"And what did you think of the 'Hunter's rest and bath house Thwei?" Thwei bowed low to the Elder Jafna. He was the second in command and the voice of the Clan. The ready room was dark, all the lights were turned out and the main chair was turned away from everyone, so the Leader couldn't be seen by the long table of higher raking hunters. There was 12 in total, not including the Elder and the leader, and all were looking to Thwei now, other than the Leader. Thwei stood and bowed to the table, then the Elder and the Leader.

"I found the Hunter's rest to be everything they say they are and much more. They are organised, punctual, have training grounds and places of relaxation. Lots of them. The rest house takes up Acers and Acers of land, with Acers to spare for its gardens and training grounds. They even have their own tournament ring behind the house. The Grand Mistress Paya is very respectful and willing to meet our only request. That the entire rest house be vacant by the time we arrive, and stay that way during our stay. The rooms are of an excellent quality and have small trophy walls for any skulls we wish to polish while we are there. They all have individual washrooms and have three places to eat. The banquet level, a full level, the living level where we can all interact and drink our fill, and there is an outside eating area for night time use. They have baths, saunas, steam rooms, massage rooms and planned events on certain days. I fell, personally, that I would be more than willing to stay there. But it is the choice of the Leader of course." Thwei bowed again and returned to his seat. The table all clicked about the famous rest house, all with positive thoughts on the matter. But when a black hand raised from the chair, silence was immediate. A long skeletal tail slinked over the arm rest and was only seen from the shadows. Even Elder Jafna became rigid. He took his seat next to the Leader and addressed him with a bowed head.

"Lord Cetanu? What are your orders sire?" The dark spectre stood from his chair and looked over his men. His furious ruby eyes scanned the room and the souls of ever warrior there. He sniffed at the raising musk and knew that smell. It was fear. Some called it respect, but he new that meant fear. A low hissing sound softly flowed from his mandibles and his tail whipped behind him. he folded his muscular arms over his mighty chest and rose his head high.

"**We will go to the rest house. And pray that they please us, or they will all, die."**

The entire room erupted in cheers and roars as their leader took his seat again. Their leader had spoken. They would set their mother ship down on home world for the first time since it left her, all those hundreds of years ago, and stay at the Hunter's rest and bath house. They were ready, but was the rest house ready for them?


	3. Chapter 3

_**Chapter 3**_

The next morning when they awoke, Kantra's hammock was in the same state as it was when they fell asleep. Empty and not slept in. "Ok D, now we worry." They forgot the shower and ran out their room, still in their night gowns. Vikta was in the hallway and looked at them with an eyebrow raised.

"What are you doing?"

"Kantra, have you seen her anywhere?"

"No, why?" Guan ran up the stairs and D explained in pursuit.

"She's gone missing. She didn't come home last night."

"Right, I'll get my girls and we'll get on it."

"Thanks so much Vikta."

"No problem. I just hope nothing's happened to her."

Guan and Dachande went straight to the top roof and found her there, sprawled out with her brilliant red hair, out of her bun and covering her face.

"Kantra!" Guan pushed the skylight open and pushed Dachande after her. "I'm too big to get through the window. You'll have to go to her."

"Right. Give me that water." Guan handed over the flask of water and D clawed over to Kantra's prone form. "Wake up Kantra, come on. Come on mighty mop." D shuck her shoulders until she stirred, screwing her eyes together.

"…is it time to get up already?" she croaked.

"Yeah Kantra. But you're not in your hammock. You're on the roof. Again."

"Yeah, I fell asleep again I guess." She chuckled and sat up, rubbing her head. Her clothes were saturated with rainwater. Her previous prediction had been right, it had rained. "Slept funny too I think. Did I sleep in?"

"No, not a lot. You will have to sneak off for a quick shower after we get our daily chores. But it's still 3 in the morning. Will, half past, but you know." they chuckled and D pushed the flask into her hands. "Please drink this. You need it."

"Oh, is this yours?"

"No, it's yours. You didn't get it last night remember? And we have some rice cakes and bread in the room for you. Drink up."

"You sound like Guan, mothering me again."

"Hey, I have to. She can't get her fat butt through the window."

"I HEARD THAT!" D and Kantra chuckled as the angry Guan shouted through the window.

"Ok, I'll drink this." Kantra let the cool water parch her dry throat. "Mmmm. Nice."

"Drink it all up; I'll get you down from here."

"No need." Kantra stood up, wobbled a bit, tested her feet with a few hops and guzzled the water. "Thanks, see you in our room."

"What the…no!" Kantra flipped backwards and off the side of the roof. Dachande looked off the edge and only saw the blue of her hanging cloth disappear through their open window. "How does she do that?" she picked up the flask and shimmied through the skylight.

"Well?" Guan looked, as if expecting someone else.

"She did the mighty mop flexible thingy again."

"She jumped off the side of the building again didn't she?"

"Oh yeah. Big style." They clattered and quickly made their way back to their room. Once there, they saw Kantra dabbing her hair dry with a rice cake in hand.

"You two took long enough (chomp). I had a shower while I waited."

"You slid down the drain pipe. Some _normal_ people walked down from the 11th floor." D clattered and looked to see that Guan wasn't with her. "Where did Guan go?"

"I saw you come in here(chomp), and Guan turned left. She must have gone to get our chores. Though I already told you what we're doing today."

"She probably went to check."

"More like plea." Guan came back shortly after, frowning. "Told you we were on activities today."

"No actually, we, as in me and D, are on activities. You, are to do absolutely nothing but get better. You slept outside all night after all."

"You told Paya!"

"No I didn't." Guan put her hands up in defence. "It's worse than that. Paya got a letter this morning from the Cor'ja…"

"Oh…they're coming then?"

"Yeah. Tomorrow. And a few today, just to ensure everything is perfect. All the Guests have been notified and say they understand. They are pauked off, but they understand. They all know of the Cor'ja and give us their biggest sympathies. My worries didn't grow from that one bit." She added sarcastically, and shoved a rice cake down Kantra's throat. "You have fun while we work. Eat up and rest. We never usually get a day off, so you should rest up for the games later. Come on D, I got Vikta to cover for us while we shower. And we need to clean all the gardens today, while watching the kids as their parents pack."

"That will take forever! And it's impossible to do the garden, and watch the pups!"

"We will just have to do our best now wont we. Come on. And you better rest."

"I will. Bye." Kantra shouted after her friends fleeting forms. "A day off huh. What am I supposed to do now?" she looked down to the cloth of food and picked it up. She curled up in her massive hammock and nibbled at her bread. _What should I do now? Mmmm, nice bread._ She took a huge bite out of it and looked out the open window. _I could…but there would be a reason why Mother said I wasn't to work. And she doesn't know that I slept outside last night…so what other reason would she have? Unless it's because of the Cor'ja coming today. But it's still early…I could…_ Kantra gobbled down the rest of her food and crawled over the floor. "Alright Guan, where did you hide my things…" her fingers found a crack in the wood and pulled the plank back. She slid it over the floor and smiled. "An underground compartment. Smart thinking Guan. Just not smart enough." She chuckled and pulled out the contents of the compartment. First came a retracted spear, then wrist blades and the full Awu'asa (armour). It was bronze with the Cinthka thunderbolt clan symbol on the front of the chest piece. Kantra closed the door, undressed, pulled the thick brown spandex body suit, made to maintain a comfortable temperature in the blazing suns or chilling winds, put the black body mesh over the top and brushed her hair. She liked to have it down, wild and wavy when she did this. Next came the silver metallic boots that came up, just under her knees. They had armour plated groves in them like the rest of the armour, to protect form heavy attacks. Then she put her brown hanging cloth on, and then the metal mesh skirt that encircled her hips. Then she clipped her breast pieces on (a silver version of Zena the warrior princess's) and the metal stomach guard, also grooved. Kantra clamped the back armour into place and then strapped her shoulder plates on. Then her arm plated and wrist blades. The metal gloves she slipped on were hard and clawed, like any Yautja's hands were with sharp, miniature claws on the tips. Finally, she attached her mask to her armour and face. It was like any other mask, but more feline in shape. Her eye pieces had red lenses to them, to aid in seeing in infra red heat and controlling her shoulder, cannon, which she then put in her satchel. In there were her other weapons and she looked around. She replaced the floor bored and left the staff level, without being seen. But as soon as she entered the welcoming hall, Vikta approached her.

"Kantra what are you doing! You aren't supposed to."

"Don't Vikta. I know you mean well, but I have to train. And this is the perfect opportunity to. See you round." She quickly turned her cloak on and escaped. _That was close. Now to get to that ring…_

No one outside bothered her as she simply looked like any of the guests in need of a little training. It took her half an hour to walk out to the tournament ring, which was empty, and dropped her satchel to the floor. _First, I'll warm up._

"Welcome to the Hunter's rest and Bath house. You are early." Paya laughed weakly as three 8 feet tall Hunters walked through the front doors. Their long black capes billowed behind them, all in full armour and only their masks weren't in place. The first she recognised. It was Thwei, but he looked a lot more Cor'ja worthy in his dark metallic armour. His spear clasped to his side and his famous dagger attached to his belt. Every Cor'ja had the Cor'ja dagger, as proof of their right to the Hunt. It was a lot harder to pass the Chiva if you were born to the Cor'ja. The hunting grounds were harder and you didn't have to kill one hard meat, you had to kill ten without losing any blood.

The second was obviously an Elder, as he had bronzed armour and a ceremonial staff in hand. One of his tusks had a large scar down it and a large claw mark ran down his left cheek. He held his head and greying dreadlocks up high and didn't seem to show anyone any consideration as he pushed the staff aside if they didn't move fast enough. Thwei stopped momentarily upon seeing Guan, and smirked at her. She simply scowled and hurried off.

But the third, was something different altogether. He was just slightly taller than the other two, and wore a hooded cloak. So none of his features or armour could be seen through the hooded shroud. He seemed to have an evil aura about him, which scared everyone away from him, including Paya as she shuffled backwards behind the desk. Just having the wooden desk between her and 'that man' was more reassuring than standing in the open. Before long, they were stood before her and Thwei stepped forward.

"Grand Mistress Paya." He nodded and so did she.

"It is nice to see you again Thwei. I welcome you all to this place. All are welcome. But who are these warriors you bring with you?"

"I am Elder Jafna, and this is another of our clan."

"Well, welcome Thwei, Elder Jafna, and…"

"That is not important." Jafna interrupted and looked around. "We are here to examine this place."

"Was Thwei's inspections not enough?" Paya stepped out from behind the desk and bowed.

"No, as we have yet to inspect your slaves."

"Staff. They are staff, not slaves." Paya corrected, cautiously.

"Bring them before us, all of them."

"Now? They have chores and."

"I said now, I mean now!" he growled and sent Paya running. She grabbed a horn from behind the desk and came back, out of breath.

"My lungs are old. Blow this horn and my staff will come immediately." Thwei took the horn and took a deep breath. He blew hard. A loud, deep trumpet sound echoed through the rest house, vibrating off the walls and scampering feet could be heard all around. Paya motioned for the three Warriors to follow her outside. They did and descended down the front stairs. Once at the base, Paya clicked her mandibles nervously. Within minuets, there were two long lines. From right to left, the staff were stood in wings in alphabetical order (A, B, C, D, E, F). The males on the front line, the females on the back line. "These are my staff. I trust and know them all personally and." The third hunter raised his hand to silence her before stepping forwards. _This guy is** not** just another member of the Cor'ja…_

"Why do you think Mistress Paya called for us with the horn? She hasn't done that since the fire three years ago." Dachande shuffled her feet and looked up at her sister out the corner of her eye.

"I don't know D. But stop fidgeting. Stand up straight and look forward. From the pompous jerk at the front that I told you about yesterday, we are being inspected."

"Great. We both have leaves in our dreads from chasing those pups." D huffed, and received a swift elbow.

"Quiet!" Guan saw all three Cor'ja walk round the staff, coming ever closer to them. "Where is Kantra? Didn't she hear the horn? Her space next to me is empty, they will know someone is missing." She cursed under her breath as the Elder seemed to see the gaping space between her and the next female.

"You, what is your name?" He ordered and made Guan whimper to herself.

"I am Guan, sir."

"Well, _Guan_. Is there supposed to be a space next to you?"

"…No sir."

"Then why is there a space next to you?" Guan gulped as his eyes pierced through her.

"…"

"She is a mere Slave girl. How would she know?" Thwei quickly added and tried to get his Elder to move, but he didn't.

"Answer the question truthfully. My friend here." He pointed to the third Hunter, who had just joined them. "Will know if you are lying." Guan closed her eyes and turned her head. She looked to Paya, who simply mouthed 'where is she?'. Guan mouthed back 'I left her in my room'. Paya silently tried to sneak away, to find her. But Jafna saw her and shouted to her. "Come Mistress. Make your slave tell us the truth before I _make_ her." Guan gasped and looked pleadingly at Paya. With this obvious threat, Paya came running and placed a hand on Guan's shoulder.

"My dear. Are you _certain_ of where your college _could_ be right now?" Guan caught on quickly and gathered her self together.

"No Mistress. I do not." The mystery Hunter nodded and Jafna looked to Vikta, who was on the other side of the gap. At first he didn't think her worth talking to, but the look on her face meant something.

"You, do you know where this delinquent could be?" Vikta trembled and closed her eyes.

"No." a low hiss made Jafna scowl and take a tight hold of her shoulder.

"Tell the truth! Or else…" he let the treat linger as he reached for his dagger. Vikta panicked and looked over to her right. Jafna followed her gaze. The training ring. As if on cue, a mighty roar echoed through the air, coming from the tournament. "So. One of your slaves likes to take time off and hide in the ring does she? Well, there will be punishments."

"That stupid girl." Paya whittled and looked desperately towards the ring. Only the third Hunter heard her and looked straight at her. She looked back, and cowered backwards instantly. Red, blazing eyes seemed to rip her chest open and examine her insides, her mind, her heart and her very soul. He placed a black, armoured hand on each of his companions and whispered in the Elder's ear.

"Are you sure My lord?" a hiss made him flinch. "Of course you are. I didn't mean to question you." Jafna turned to Paya, who was still in half shock. "We are leaving. My…companion will be joining us later. You will get word of our decision before the end of the day." Jafna nodded and pressed his wrist com link. "Transport myself and Thwei only to the ship." In a flash of blue light, the Elder was gone. Thwei's finger hovered over his button, but he lowered his hands. He grabbed a fistful of Guan's dreads and pushed his face against her ear violently.

"I apologise for the way you were treated. I am deeply sorry and hope you will not judge all of us on the behaviour of an old fool." He whispered.

That wasn't what she expected to hear at the least. She relaxed. Maybe she had misjudged him? "Until we meet again, Miss Night." He slapped her bum before hitting the button. He vanished and left her fuming.

Nope, she had judged him perfectly.

"Swine." Paya seemed pale and had dropped to her knees. "Mistress Paya!" Guan and several of the boys helped her to her feet and fanned her face. "What is wrong?"

"It's all my fault." Vikta said, close to tears.

"How is it your fault? D asked, fanning Paya's face.

"It isn't your fault, you didn't have a choice." Paya cooed, still weak.

"Hello? What happened?" D asked, still clueless at the situation. Vikta whimpered and looked towards the ring in the distance.

"The Elder asked me if I knew where Kantra was. When I said no, they, _he, _knew I was lying. Because I _do_ know where she is. I saw her leave for the ring earlier this morning, in full Awu'asa with her weapons bag."

"But you didn't say anything."

"I didn't have to. I looked over to the coliseum and they heard her battle cry. They thought she was playing around, but we all know she is training."

"If we are lucky." Paya panted. "He will think she is a guest and leave her be. I know from experience that in her Awu'asa, she looks and fights like a very, _very_, skilled huntress. I trained her myself, I would know…"

"She does look like one of us in that under suit she wears. She might not even be disturbed."

"But…it was him." Paya was still pale and shivered slightly. "It was him. Lord Cetanu! We have to save her! My baby!" Paya tried to run, but a male worker held her back.

"No Mistress, your condition. If you wait, we will know for sure. If you go now, suspicion about her will only grow."

"You are right young one. But…I fear for her safety…"

Kantra sat in a lotus position and had her hands placed on her knees. Meditation was something she always did before her shadow training.

1st, she would warm up, 2nd, she would do circuit training (press ups and sit ups, weight training), then she would meditate for a few hours to focus her mind and body. That way, her training was more beneficial.

Her long, luscious red hair flowed in the wind to one side. There always was a large draft in the coliseum.

"Are you going to watch me all day? Or do you wish to join me?" She didn't even look to the side as a hooded figure stepped out from the shadows. "My Name is Kantra. What is yours?" she chuckled and looked towards him.

"**Cetanu."** She froze. He stalked towards her, as she closed her eyes. _Come on! This is just like what I have been training for. Just because they are bigger and meaner than me, doesn't mean I can't keep my cool and come out on top._

"Nice to meet you."

"**Lire." **He hissed and stood before her. But she didn't even flinch. _Remain calm. Remain calm. _

"I will not lie to you. I am glad we met this way."

"**And why is that?" **his voice had a sibilant hiss to it on every note and syllable. He dropped down behind her, in a mirror image of how she was sitting. His shadow however, engulfed her smaller form.

"Because it could always be worse. Be grateful for what you have been given at your disposal. I like that saying." She smiled. _See, this isn't as bad as I thought it would be. Just relax and keep cool._

"**I suppose. Who are you?"**

"I told you. I'm Kantra." She starched her arms and stood up. "I hope you don't mind, but I came here to train."

"**Train?"** She stretched off and bent right over.

"Spar, practise, battle demos. I don't know what you would call it. But in other words, perfect my technique and skill for the hunt." Kantra dropped to the floor again, held her ankles with each hand and was able to get her forehead on the floor, with both legs horizontally straight in the splits. "One day I will be able to get my chest flat on the floor." She mumbled to herself and tried to stretch further. But her body wasn't having any of it. Next, she picked up her Naginata from her satchel and held it in both hands. "Now what was that combo mother taught me…oh yes." She crouched down low, span her weapon around like a propeller above her head and then span her entire body with it. She flipped once, tried it again and landed on her butt rather painfully. "Ouch!" what made it even worse, other than her now throbbing backside was the hissing coming from behind her. "I suppose you find that funny huh?" he looked away, but his shoulders were still shifting up and down with laughter. Even when she was angry, he could help but think her voice had a soft honey tune to it. "I never said I was perfect. That's why I train. To get better." She pouted and faced the coliseum doors. "Ok, try again." she crouched, she span her staff, she span herself and flipped into the air. Finally she landed on her feet and struck the mighty blade into the ground with such a force, that the entire floor rippled with the sightless vibrations. Even Cetanu was silently impressed. She was a good few meters away from him, and even he felt that. "Better, but it was off. I should have aimed further to the right…" she mumbled to herself and walked back to where she had started. Kantra went straight through the entire technique again and hit the ground, where her opponent would be, with even more force than before. And she still hadn't broken a sweat. "Oh yes!" She roared and did it again, faster than before and with more of a spring in her step. Next she placed her trusty Naginata back in place, and picked up her favourite weapon of all. The long, double ended mace. This was like the Naginata, but the handle and staff was thicker and instead of having a dangerous blade at either side of the weapon, there were two, large, dark bronze maces with so many thick, sharp spikes, that it looked murderous before it was used. It was just slightly smaller than a full spear, and it shortened just like one too.

Cetanu rose to his feet and walked over to her, his eyes fixated on her 'new toy'. He reached out to touch it, but she pulled away and wagged her finger at him. "A a a. No touchy." She giggled and moved into a new space. Cetanu was just frozen. Did she just tell him not to touch her weapon? Did she just tell him…him…what to do? Even in his cloak he had instant respect. Surely she knew who he was by now…right? He had half the mind to just take the weapon from her, just to spite her. But the light giggle that flowed from her lips drew his attention again. "So mister Cetanu. You like my weapon? I designed it myself. My mother helped me make it." she ran her fingers along the engravings, along the staff handle. "To my darling daughter who has made me proud from the day I first saw her. Use this weapon and be a true, fearless huntress. Paya." She smiled under her mask and span the mace effortlessly above her head. But something had clicked. Paya, the Grand Mistress. This was her daughter. He was told she didn't have a daughter.

He drew closer and slid his Cor'ja dagger from its sheath. He pulled another from his thigh and presented them outside of his cloak. He lowered into a stance predatorily. "…you want to fight me?" it was odd. She sounded hurt by this. "…why?" her body seemed to droop and her light hearted spirit dimmed. He growled, stormed up to her and pushed her shoulder hard. She whimpered and backed off. To Cetanu…she was acting rather oddly. He had just plain challenged her to a fight, and she was backing off.

"**Fight me!"** he hissed and she dropped her mace staff.

"No. I don't want to." she coward backwards until she tripped over her own satchel.

"**You don't _want _to? Have you no honour?" **

"Yes. But I can't! I won't!" She screamed and scrambled to her feet, clenching her fists to show how serious she was.

"**You have no choice!"** he charged at her and tried to thrust one dagger into her gut, but she did an aerial summersault over his head and landed with her hands on the bronze bar between the maces.

"I'm warning you! I don't want to fight you!" But when she looked back, he wasn't there. Unbeknownst to her, he had jumped up to the side wall of the coliseum and suddenly leapt ontop of her. Both daggers clashed with the bronzed weapon strained against each other, perfectly between their face. Only inches were between their masked and hooded faces. "I don't want to fight you."

"**Why not?" **He hissed and tried to see into her eyes. But the mask was hiding her face from him.

"Why do you _want_ to fight?" she retorted and popped her hips. This sent him tumbling to one side and yanked Kantra with him. So their places had reversed with her straddling him and he didn't complain. Put it this way, if he became distracted by their positioning, she would either get away or batter his face in. so he chose to remain focused.

"**Silence!"** he roared and flipped her over, pinning her with his body between her legs.

"That's it!" She wriggled upwards and wrapped her legs around his chest. She reversed their places again with a mighty heave and straddled his chest. Kantra used her Mace staff to pin his hands and daggers above his head and began to constrict her legs around him, crushing his diaphragm. He hissed demonically tapped into his secret strength. He disposed of her weapon by disposing of both of his too. After the scuttle of metal, he took a tight hold of her thighs and tried to push her off, desperate for air. But she arched her back, applying more pressure against his ribs and roared with him. Though his roar was from agony, while hers was through ecstasy.

"Give in and I will let you go. I hate fighting for no reason, with people I _could_ like. Please, I hate hurting people." The truth in her voice was pathetically honest. And he knew it. He roared again and tried to push her off once more. In vain. How was she winning? No one ever won against him.

He reached up and took fistfuls of her luscious red hair, yanked her down until her mask clanged with his. But his hood prevented her from seeing his mask. She squeezed tighter, and he roared louder. But something caught his eye. He knew her hair was important. Before she had spoken to him, he was trying to place how a Yautja female had such exotic hair. He went through every clan and couldn't think of any males or females with such hair. But that scent. It was intoxicating. Like the finest C'ntlip. Her hair licked at his mask like helpless tendrils and he groaned, pulling her closer. Her natural scent was like Naxa fruits in cream. It was wonderful and he soon found himself prone. He had stopped fighting. Kantra noticed this and eased off slightly. Maybe he had given in. As the pain receded he felt like he had been hit in the face, and physically flinched. That is why he couldn't place her origin of her vibrant hair colour. She didn't belong to any of the clans. She was.

"**Ooman…"** It took a few seconds to sink in, but what he just said caught her fully unaware. She sat straight up, her hands resting on his covered chest.

"What…" She whispered softly and panicked as he sat up with her.

"**Ooman." ** He hissed and she gasped. One hand reached for her mask. He was desperate to see the face that held such a honey voice and a wonderful scent.

Now it was time for her to leave.

Kantra jumped to her feet, threw her weapons in her bag and ran towards the coliseum doors. She realised that the daggers were still entwined in her Mace staff, but didn't turn to give them back. She could already hear his foot steps closing in. but she would be damned if he caught up to her. Kantra was lucky as there were still plenty of staff, her friends, outside and saw her coming a mile off. She ran straight into their mists and stopped briefly to her mother.

"Distract him for me. I need to get away." That was all the time she had to spear as she scaled the building. Cetanu was but a few minuets behind her, as Paya nodded to her two biggest workers. They stepped in front of him and held his shoulders.

"May we help you sir?"

"Are you looking for your fellow clan brothers?" Cetanu saw just how quickly the ooman was travelling up the building and tried to push forward, but another male stepped in front of him.

"Your Clan left just after you did. They are waiting for you, but please return if you can." He roared loudly and span around. A long, spear like tail uncoiled from under his cloak and whipped at everyone in a circumference to him. He gave them all a warning hiss and ran after Kantra.

She reached the roof and looked down. He was climbing faster than she was! Kantra wasted no time in doing her usual trick. She waited for him to get close enough to see onto the roof top, half of him still on the side of the building. She then waved, held onto her satchel tightly and simply fell off the side of the building backwards. What he didn't see, was her turn her cloaking devise on and cling to the drain pipe. She clawed down it silently and prayed thanks to the Gods as her hammock room window was still wide open. She swooped inside and closed the windows. She pressed her back up against the door and looked out the window. Her heart still pounding in her chest and her breathing rapid. But he didn't come. His shadow didn't engulf the room and her cowering figure. And he didn't creep in through the window like the monster from the closet to catch her. Only after 30 minuets, did her breathing return to normal. She sank to the floor and pulled her mask off. A huge smile crept from one side of her mouth to the other and she laughed, loudly. she had never been so scared in her life, but at the same time, she had never had so much fun! She was just glad that was behind her now. She would hide here until the Cor'ja left and everything would go back to normal. Kantra pulled her Awu'asa off and placed it back into the secret compartment beneath the wood boards. Then she crawled into her hammock, exhausted from her 'days activities' and mental trails.

"I guess I should be grateful he didn't pull my mask off. Or you know, stab me." she chuckled, but soon stopped. He had tried to attack her, with two Cor'ja knives. _The knives!_ She peered over the edge of the hammock and into the open folds of her satchel. Staring straight at her were two, black and silver daggers with special Cor'ja codes on them, trailed up the middle of each silver flame. "Now what do I do with them? I can't keep them. That would be steeling. I guess I will have to think of something tomorrow…" sleep finally took her and she didn't even make a sound. Not even when her two, very worried fest friends came in and saw her, laying in her hammock, safe and sound. Guan had to restrain Dachande from hugging her awake. Only for Dachande to have to restrain Guan from slapping her from not only running off like an idiot to train in daylight, but for worrying them sick!

All three girls slept soundly that night, all grateful for at least one thing that happened that day.

Only a certain Cor'ja hunter returned to his room, on his mother ship, peeved and as mad as hell. You had to feel sorry for the hunter that tried to speak to him on his way to his room. His mandible may never look the same again…


	4. Chapter 4

_**Chapter 4**_

"Get up! Look, your day off was yesterday. Today, you get your butt out of bed!" Guan flipped the hammocks as she usually did and both younger girls fell on their behinds.

"Why do you _always_ do that!" Kantra smiled. Dachande was up to her usual whining again. So she just grabbed her robes, undressed into them and waited until everyone was ready.

"Because if I don't, who will? Why can't you just get ready like Kantra does? She doesn't whine or nag or go on forever like you do. She just gets on with it."

"Well I am me and this is who I am. Deal with it!" Dachande tantrumed off and stormed to the bath rooms, Guan and Kantra bringing up the rear.

"So what happened yesterday? And I mean what _really_ happened." They entered the showered and hung their robes on the side.

"Yeah, what happened when big and bad went after you?"

"Well." She hosed herself down and basked in the soothing water. "He watched me in the shadows until I just asked him if he was going to stare at me all day. He came over, I introduced myself…and he introduced himself."

"So you know it was…him." Guan hadn't dared to say his name ever since Thwei confronted her about it.

"Cetanu? Yeah, in a big way."

"Then what happened?" D passed her the body soap and listened carefully, afraid of missing anything.

"He watched me train for a while…and tried to join in." the frown that grew on her face meant one thing. She had to fight. "He got into a stance and everything. But I said I wouldn't fight. So he challenged me."

"He did the whole push your shoulder thing? Males, they need to learn better manners. I mean, you may look mean in your Awu'asa, but you are obviously female. You would think they didn't know how to be courteous."

"I know. I still refused. So he attacked me."

"You were right Kantra; they do sound like bad bloods." D fumed and started to rinse her hair. Kantra had almost finished washing her hair as she continued.

"I ended up defending myself. And we got into a scrap on the floor…" Guan and Dachande looked at each other, daring the other to say something. In the end, it was Dachande.

"So he got you on the floor…and rolled around with you a bit…" both sisters clattered loudly as they all left the showered, in their robes once more.

"It wasn't like that!" Kantra went bright red and clenched her fists. He tried to slice me in two! If I hadn't pinned him on the floor with my hands when I did then."

"You pinned him to the floor!" D squealed and chuckled loudly. Even Guan almost fell over with laughter.

"No. Not like that. I pinned him and tried to crush his lungs."

"HA! With your legs!"

"How did you know that…" she blushed even more profusely and looked at her feet. They entered their room and pulled on a fresh set of clothed. The blue hanging cloth and halter neck bikini top.

"You pinned him with your hands. What else is there to use?" Guan chuckled as they all left for the Office. Paya was already there with her list in hand. But she did not look well. She looked like she hadn't slept all night.

"What's wrong with mother…"

"Didn't you hear?" Vikta came sheepishly over to them and placed her hands on Kantra's shoulders. "I am sorry. For it was _I_ who looked towards your location yesterday. I hope you didn't get hurt."

"Don't worry about it. And…what haven't I heard?"

"After you did your little disappearing act, his high and mightiness decreed that the entire Cor'ja clan, not to mention the 14 members of the upper Cor'ja circle will be coming here, today, for as long as they see fit. He was dead set on coming back as soon as possible…" Kantra gulped and thought of only two reasons. 1, to find her or 2, to get his daggers back. They would be very important to him after all.

"Oh my…"

"L Listen up e everyone." Paya stuttered, partially worried and partially panicking. "The Guests left yesterday and the big clean up is complete." She paused and looked over the list. "All male staff with be working outside and in all the eating and drinking areas. Including the living level. All girls will be working in the kitchen and relaxation areas. And Kantra…you will be staying in your room for all the time they are here."

"No way! I should work like everyone else does!" Paya walked through the crowd to her daughter.

"You will stay in your room." she insisted and pulled her closer. "This Clan hunt Oomans just as they hunt the hard meat. They could see you as pray or just as sport. I will not allow this." She turned back to the crowd and started to hand out sheets of chores. "Stick to your timetables and work hard and quickly. I wish you all the best and we will have a week off after they leave. All of us I promise." Everyone disbursed other than Guan, Dachande, Kantra and Paya. "Guan, you are in the massage room 4 today." Pay looked down to her feet and quickly to Dachande. "And you my dear are on steam room duty in the boiler. You know, monitoring the steam levels?"

"Yes Mistress." D nodded at them all, and descended to the boiler room.

"Mistress? The massage room 4? Why that particular room?" Guan asked, but Paya blanked the question. "Oh Guan, take my daughter to her room will you? There's a good girl." Paya soon scampered off to the upper level to welcome the guests as and when they came.

As the two girls walked to their room, Guan had a frown on her face.

"What's wrong? You look like you were just condemned to your room for a long time. Oh wait, that's me." Kantra huffed as they walked inside.

"I…well I don't like the sound of 'massage room 4'. That is the most private room there…and Paya wouldn't even look at me…"

"Didn't you say that jerk from reception said he would be coming back."

"And he said that he was going to ask for me personally to massage him!" Guan growled and clenched her fists. "If it is him, I have an upper cut with his GOD DAMN name in it!" she hissed.

"Don't talk like that Guan. Violence isn't the answer."

"To everything. I know I know. You know, for someone who could hold her own against the most feared hunter in the universe, you are damned pessimistic."

"No. I will fight if I must. And one day I would love to go on the hunt…but I will never harm another being unless forced."

"I know. Little miss softie."

"Hay!" Kantra picked up a pillow and hit Guan over the head. "Take that back!"

"NO!" she laughed as a pillow fight soon ensued. Only for Vikta to come running in.

"What the HELL are you doing! You were meant to be in massage room 4, 10 minuets ago!"

"Eep! Gotta go!" Guan brushed herself off, pushed a bolt on the 'special floor bored' and turned to Kantra dead serious. Which was hard to do considering that feathers were sticking out of her hair and mouth. "You, stay, right, here. Got it?" she staid sternly and left Kantra, alone and feeling very down.

"Great. Now what?"

"Where were you? He has been waiting for 10 minuets! He almost came to find you." Vikta pulled Guan behind a screen and pulled at her alter neck fasten.

"What are you doing?"

"You have to change. We have a petal pink uniform for the massage rooms now."

"Since when!" Vikta yanked the top off and expertly replaced it with a baby pink equivalent.

"Since this morning." Guan coughed as she was dowsed with sweet perfumes.

"What are you."

"Doing? swimming up steam. What does it look like?"

"Why are you covering me in this stuff…it does smell nice…" Guan sniffed up, loving the sweet nectar smell.

"Because, well, erm. Get in there!" Vikta quickly replaced her blue hanging cloth for the pink one and pushed her through the open door. Guan looked to the ground, felt Vikta pull her bobble out from behind and heard the door shut. Her long black dread locks fanned down her back and made a perfect veil at either side of her face. When her golden eyes lifted, they shot wide open. Stood before her was a 7 foot, brown dreadlocked, yellow eyed hunter with dark brown skin and his mandibles smirking at her.

"Why if it isn't about time, Miss Night." Thwei chuckled and pulled his long black robes off. She wanted to seethe at him, smack and claw at him. But she held her tongue and bowed her head at him instead. When she looked up, his robes were at his feet and all he was wearing was his black hanging cloth. "I took everything else off. I was told I wouldn't need them. I was told…they would get in the way." He clattered and slowly walked towards her. But Guan turned, closed and locked the door, turned back to face him and stood her full 8 feet.

"You were told correctly. Please, how may I." She was reluctant to say it. But she knew she had to. "Serve you today."

"You could tell me more about yourself." Thwei sat on the huge padded table and patted the space next to him. "Come, join me."

"Yes sir." Guan pursed her mandibles and sat at the other end of the table to him.

"Now come on." He chuckled. "I don't bite." She shuffled closer and didn't like the lusty look in his yellow eyes. "…Unless you ask me to." his hand rested on her thigh and she looked away.

_Violence isn't the answer. Violence isn't the answer._ She repeated in her head and firmly rested her hands on her knees.

"My name is Guan."

"Well no." he chuckled. But she didn't hear him. She was on autopilot now.

"I have a sister, two years younger than I called Dachande."

"That's very nice but."

"I have worked here since I and my sister were pups, turned out from having a bad blood in the family."

"Oh…I'm so sorry." he sounded sincere and removed his hand from her thigh, and placed it on her shoulder.

"Mistress Paya took us in and we met her daughter. And every other child she took in. I work, I eat and drink, I sleep, and then I do it all over again the next day. Please, there is nothing more." Guan looked directly at the opposite wall.

"…You're terrified of me…" she tensed as he pulled her closer. "Please don't be. I mean you know harm."

"No. but you mean something else." She whimpered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"No. I never meant. I mean I." He removed his hands and looked away. "Did you think I wanted you here because…I was going to force myself on you?"

"…yes…" Guan whimpered as he took her shoulders and forced her to face him.

"I have more honour than that! I would never force myself upon anyone." He let her go and got to his feet. "I asked for you…because you took my breath away from the first time I saw you." He confessed and folded his arms, his back still to her. "So yes. I am attracted to you, greatly in fact. I wanted to get to know you. Yes my methods are different, but my intentions were _always _honourable. I am quite concerned that I came across to you as someone who _would_ rape…"

"I am sorry." Guan looked down, ashamed at herself. "I thought. I shouldn't have. Please, accept my apology."

"It is accepted." He said, yet he still hurt. "I am sorry about your family. It is always harsh for your loved ones to disown you like they did."

"You have no idea."

"I do actually. I showed great potential on my first Chiva (trail to become a hunter and earn the right to the hunt). I was scouted to become a member of the Cor'ja. My family didn't like it and we had an argument. One thing led to another and well. I left home, my parents disowned me and I became a Member of the Cor'ja clan." He turned to face her again, his pleasant smile reassuring. "But on the bright side, I didn't have to look after a younger sibling."

"D is a pain at times. She is always whining about something." She chuckled and stood up. "This is a massage room for a reason. Please, lay down. We can talk at the same time."

"Thanks. My back has been killing me for months now."

"Didn't stop you from smacking my ass…" she mumbled under her breath as he laid front down.

"No, but it was worth it." he clattered at the sudden blush on her face. "Oh, one more thing. I have very good hearing."

"I noticed." She said weakly and pulled a bottle from the cabinet.

"So you told me of your past and I told you of mine." Guan stood to his right and started to smooth the oils over his skin. She was glad she was wrong about him. It was a lot easier for her this way. Though he was proving to still be just a randy bugger. "So what else is there to know about Miss Night? Your past I know. You have golden eyes, long dark hair, your tall, you have magical hands…." He groaned as she un-knotted a tense muscle.

"You think _I_ am good? You should see Kantra. She can massage circles around me. She has the real magical hands."

"Don't put yourself down. This feels great. Oh, I almost forgot. I pulled your hair yesterday. I wanted to apologies, but I couldn't be seen apologising now can I? So I had to make it look good."

"Your apology is accepted. Just don't do it again, or else." She clattered and leaned against the table a little more. He wasn't as bad as she had first thought. Alone, he was an entire different Yautja.

"Or else what?" she didn't answer and rubbed her thumbs into the small of his back, making him groan again. "No I mean it. I am intrigued. What will you do if I pull your hair again?" The naughty bad boy tone he used, let her know what he was hoping for.

"It involves tar and strips of wax."

"Ouch."

"Exactly." She chuckled and stopped as he shifted. He laid on his back and leaned up on his elbows.

"My legs have been aching ever since I helped take down a queen a few months back. Could you do anything for that?"

"I could…but…" she blushed and looked at his lower half. "Where exactly does it hurt? Because usually leg injuries are at the shins, the knees….and the inner thighs." She blushed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"All three actually." He tried to sound serious, but he loved it really.

"Ok." she gulped and crawled up onto the table. He sat up and bent his knees. "First the shins." She nervously felt and smoothed the oils over his shins and moved gently up his legs until she was underneath his knees. "And the knees." her hands traced every muscle up and down his knees and to his ankles. "Better?"

"Yeah."

"Right…lay down." She gulped as he laid back, his legs still bent. She passed her hands slowly up the insides of his legs and blushed as a really strong musk hit her hard. That meant one thing. He was aroused.

"I'm sorry."

"No, its ok." She answered weakly as she let her hands travel deeper and gave off her own musk. She just didn't realise it. But Thwei sure as hell did.

"Well well. Nice to know I'm not alone." He clattered and sat up quickly. This made her hands brush up against his very hard shaft before she pulled back. They were both silent as Guan was crouched between his legs, and he moved ever so closer to her. Inch by inch.

When his face was inches from hers, Guan launched forwards and ensnared her arms around his neck. Their mandibles brushed together in a melting passion, hands travelled over each other's bodies until the point were Thwei's hands were up the back of her top.

Someone outside dropped a bucket and that brought them back to the world or reality.

"We have to stop. If we are caught."

"You're right." But he still kissed her madly.

"We should stop." But she just kissed him too. They eventually pulled away and straightened up. They had spent way too long together and people would be getting suspicious as it was.

"I will see you again." he promised and pulled her close.

"You better. Now that I have let you in, I won't be able to let you out."

"I have no intention of leaving."

He smacked her bum lightly and left to his room. Guan tried to act normal for the rest of her duties, but couldn't help but smile. _You better not leave…because I might just come after you…_

_With Kantra after Guan left._

"Damn I have been sat here for an hour and I am going insane!" she pursed her lips together and rolled onto her front. She had been lying on the floor since just after Guan left. And she had over a week of this? How was she going to survive? A glimmer of light caught her attention…the daggers. They seemed to call to her as they glistened in the light. Her hands were soon wrapped around the handles and she held them both up in the air. Her eyes travelled along the perfectly crafted blades and span them both once. _They're so light…_ she couldn't help herself. She stood in a low fighting stance and brandished the daggers, one in each hand and stepped forwards, swiping fro each side to meet in the centre. They cut through the air effortlessly. Kantra couldn't suppress the grin that appeared on her face as she practised there, with the daggers. That was it, she couldn't just stay cooped up in her room like an animal in a cage. She needed to keep herself busy with something, or she would go insane with boredom. She couldn't practise properly anyway, there wasn't enough room to. Not here anyway.

Kantra laid back in her hammock and span the hilt of the daggers on each index finger. In the back of her mind, a loud, nagging voice kept shouting at her. _They don't belong to you. You need to give them back._ But how could she do that? Just walk up to him and put them in his hands? That would not, _not_, work. She huffed and held the twin daggers to her chest as she gazed out her window. _But he wanted to fight me before, when he thought I was just another Yautja. It isn't even the case of dressing up again and giving them back. He knows I'm an Ooman now. _

She pouted.

_He deserves to lose his favourite daggers anyway from the way he treated me. Even when he thought I was just like him. And then he looked like he wanted to kill me after he found out what I really was. What would stop him from just killing me on sight?_

She sighed and stroked one of the leather handles. _But they do belong to him. And they are special to the Cor'ja. What if these daggers are proof of his clan? Or his rank? He had two after all, the other one that Guan met only had one. What if he is in big trouble from losing them? I was told an Elder was with them, and he is just a hunter after all. _But she remembered what her mother had told her.

"_Their leader at present is a Hunter, who is not a Hunter. For no Hunter could chill the spines of every Arbitrator anywhere into submission, like he does. He is a warrior, with God like strength and skill in battle. And out…" _

She shuffled nervously. She didn't know what was worse, that she had something that didn't belong to her, that they belonged to a Cor'ja hunter who wanted to kill her, or that the hunter had something so horrid about him, that he could scare even the mighty Arbitrators. But what could that be?

_Does that matter? Those daggers belong to him. They are his and will mean a lot to him. You are a thief if you keep them._

She growled and started to pace the room. She finally gave in to the voice and strapped the daggers to her hanging cloth, pulled on a large blue hooded cloak and made her way to the welcoming hall. All she needed to do was ask Paya or who ever was on reception to tell her which room Cetanu would be staying in, and put the daggers there before he checked in. Simple. What could go wrong?

She peered around the curtain and found her mother behind reception. But as she pulled out into the crowd of staff, she wished she had stayed in her room.

The main doors opened with a huge foreboding creak as many Yautja clad in black robes appeared into view on the staircase. There was a deathly silence as many hunters made a half circle formation inside, facing the reception and a very nervous Paya. They made 4 rows of semi circles until one figure alone walked through them and to the front, with two others with him. It was obvious from the familiar hooded cloak that the centre warrior was Cetanu, to his left was Jafna, but to his right was another Elder, also clad in black and blue.

Paya gulped and put on her best smile.

"Welcome to the Hunter's rest and bath house." Kantra was entranced by the display as Cetanu stepped forward. And then something happened that would remain in everyone's memories for as long as they lived. Cetanu pulled at his cloak and let it drop to the floor. He had long black dread locks down to his mid back with golden rings, carved with real charms for battle. His Awu'asa was pure, polished black with the Cor'ja symbol in Silver in the centre of his chest piece. He was 9 feet tall and had a body of a master gladiator, a warrior that had trained for many years. Yet he had no scars. Not that she was looking for them. His skin was a deep chaos black with no cream, no markings, just black, his skin. As was his body mesh and his mask looked just as menacing as his predator based body language. It was just as black as his armour, and had two large red eye pieces that made him look like death himself! His talons were long and deadly, also black, and he held a large golden Naginata with the same flame design blades as the daggers. Only a lot larger and more vicious looking. But that wasn't all. Then a large black, skeletal tail whipped out from behind him and the spear of the tail looked just like that…of a hard meat…of a deadly Queen hard meat.

Kantra's fear betrayed her as she alone gasped at his intimidating façade. And she gasped loud enough…to get her the attention of the very person she was supposed to hide from.

Cetanu.

He looked towards the direction of the soft, but audible sound. It was her! She may be in a hooded cloak, but he could still see her face as clear as day. And the stray tendrils of wild red hair made her identity known to him also.

Kantra saw him look right at her and felt all the colour fade from her face. Paya also saw the fixation of his gaze, and wanted to despair. "My Welcome guests." She implored. "Please tell me which rooms you will be staying in, and I shall assign you all, who wish it, a tour of my humble rest house." Everyone but Cetanu was listening.

It was her! She was right there, only mere strides away from him and he had only just arrived! This was perfect…

Cetanu looked to Jafna and nodded. His right hand Elder walked to Paya and gave her their requirements.

"His Lordship wishes that the first row of the clan will be on the lowest level of rooms, the next row the next, then the next row the next, and the same for the next along with myself and my fellow Elder. But my Lord wishes to be alone on you upper most floor."

"It will be done. Please, make yourselves at home." Paya ushered one of the boy's wings to see to the guests and tried to get to Kantra before Cetanu could. But she was way too old to intercept Cetanu on his course to her daughter. But Kantra was not one to let danger just come as it pleased. She ran back to the curtain and soon heard his heavy, but swift foot steps behind her. If her memory was correct, he was a lot faster than her and would catch her if she didn't plan this right. She ran down the steps, along the corridor and into her room. She was about to climb out the window, but he took a tight hold of the end of her billowing cape. He yanked her back and knew what to do. She ran on her instincts and sank quickly into the splits, undoing her cape as she did. She then span her legs around, flipped herself back to her feet and for a moment, both of them simply stared at the other. Kantra weighed up her chances of making for the window before he could catch her, and he weighed up his chances of catching her before she made for the window. Both waited for the other to make the first move. But neither did. Kantra glanced to the hammock at her side and then went to action. But not the sort he expected. She simply laid in the hammock and closed her eyes. Was this a trick? Was she waiting for him to take the bait, for her to spring her trap? But to be honest she was far too terrified to think clearly enough to be formidable in strategy. He took a step forward, and saw her flinch. He took another, and she yelped softly. She could hear every step he made, until he stood over her. He looked her up and down, looking for anything she could use against him…and saw his daggers.

"I think…they belong to you." She faltered and sat up, pulling them from her side. She put her hands forward, holding both weapons for him and he cocked his head to one side. He scowled under his mask as her eyes kept looking to his swaying tail and back to her lap. "Please. I didn't mean to take them. They were stuck to my mace and." But he raised a large clawed hand, silencing her with a whimper. "I'm sorry…"

"**You refused to fight me."** he slowly took one of the daggers and returned it to his left sheath. **"Why?"** Kantra closed her eyes tight. She just wanted to be at work, with everyone else. She didn't want to be pray…

"I I, I just." She stuttered and jumped slightly when he took hold of one of her wrists. He pulled her to her feet, and waited for her to continue. But he still held her wrists loosely. That, confused her. "I don't like to fight. I, don't like to hurt people. I just, like to train." She sniffed. Her entire body quivered, her fear intensifying with each moment she was stuck in the same room with him.

"**You are trained in the way of the hunt. Who taught you?" **

"My mother." She still looked to her feet, feeling very small.

"**She didn't teach you very well. She forgot to teach you to have a backbone."** He hissed. But didn't expect a set of fiery green eyes to stare back at him.

"My mother taught me well. She even gave me her armour. But she also taught me that all life is precious and deserves respect. I didn't want to fight you because I didn't want to hurt you. I respected you. You didn't deserve to have me fight you. So I didn't." He had to smile under his mask as he felt her clench his fists and scowl at him. "I happen to believe that fighting should be done in the hunt, against the pray. Not each other." She stood up on her tip toes and stared bloody murder into his eyes. But he threw his head back and clattered with great mirth.

"**Fighting each other makes us better at what we do. We learn through fighting, we thrive on it." **He slipped the other dagger from her hand and slid it into his right sheath, feeling that her fighting spirit was better than having her fear him. Why, he didn't quite know yet...** "We have fought each for other millennia, to prove our worth, for our honour, to prove ourselves as worthy mates…"** he then looked down at her wrist. How long had he been holding on to her? **"You have only been taught the bad."**

"That is pretty rich coming from a bad blood." She instantly regretted that one. His hand contracted around her wrist until it was so painful, she couldn't hide the pain from her face as tears fell down her face. But she refused to cry, she scowled at him. She was afraid of him at first, but now she despised him. _he_ had the nerve to insult her mother's abilities as a warrior, her honour, laugh in her face, make her feel two inches small and talk down to her like she was a rebellious pup. He had disrespected her so much, that she was too livid to be scared anymore.

Cetanu growled deeply from his throat as his tail whipped back and forth behind him.

"**How dare you!"** He yanked on her wrist and forced her to come closer to him. **"How dare you accuse me of being a Bad Blood!"** he hissed, his mandibles clicking furiously and forgot his strength. Kantra whimpered and dropped to one knee. Her face still held her scowl, but her eyes showed the fear and pain she felt. Her wrist was burning red as blood seeped through small wounds caused by his sharp talons. She whimpered louder and looked to her feet, breaking eye contact. This finally made Cetanu question why she was in pain…until he looked to the same wrist he was holding. He stepped back and released her, like her skin had burnt him. Kantra curled up on the floor, cradling her blooding wrist and biting her tongue. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction to know he had made her cry, as well as bleed. But Cetanu wouldn't have noticed if she did. He couldn't take his eyes off his hand. Her blood, her deep crimson blood stared back at him from his palm and he took another step back. She sniffed and sat on her heels, her red hair a mess from manhandling and her breathing rapid. He took a step towards her and reached out to her, but the door opened and caught them both by surprise.

Paya ran inside with two of her strongest boys.

"Kantra?" Paya ran to her quivering daughter and cradled her to her chest. She then looked up to Cetanu with fear in her eyes. "What did you do to my daughter?" But Cetanu said nothing and simply stared into the hateful eyes of the wounded Ooman. Those eyes were deeper than any cave or ocean, and held more emotion than he had ever seen. He stepped towards her, and made a move to touch her, but two sets or hands clamped onto his shoulder plates and stopped him. He hissed and turned to the two young males. They instantly released him and moved out of his way. He turned back to Kantra. If he wasn't wearing his mask, they would have seen the horror in his eyes, the shock of his actions. He growled in frustration and stormed out of the hammock room, leaving Paya to fuss over her daughter while the two males stood guard.


	5. Chapter 5

_**Chapter 5**_

"Honey what did he do to you?" Paya made Kantra show her her hand and gasped. "He did this to you?"

"Yes!" she wailed at last and buried her face into her mother's chest.

"What happened?" Paya lifted her onto the hammock and pulled a mini med kit from her sash. Her long blue kimono made it difficult for her to sit on the hammock, but she managed it. Kantra simply cried her eyes out as her mother injected her wounds to stop infection, as his claws had cut pretty deep, and wrapped her entire wrist in a white bandage. She then looped it around her thumb and fingers to support the bandage and keep it in place. When she had finished, she stroked her daughter's hair. "You can't stay here. He knows this place too well for you to sleep here during the Cor'ja's stay. They will only be here for a week. Then they leave to the Minks sector. We will probably never hear of them again after that. So you will rest somewhere else for now. With me in our cottage. You used to live with me before; your room is still as you left it."

"I only moved out to live with my friends. Are they safe now?" Kantra sniffed and held her damaged wrist.

"I am sure they are." Paya hugged her tightly and began to cry herself. "I thought I lost you…"

"You didn't mom. You didn't."

"And he won't touch you again! My brother and I will make sure _he_ is followed from a distance so he can't try and hunt you again." one of the males added. But…

"But he wasn't trying to hunt me."

"What? Oh course he was or you wouldn't have the injury you do." Paya raised her eyebrow and rubbed circles in her daughter's back. This made Kantra feel better already and she smiled at her mother.

"Well, he seemed more curious than angry…at first."

"What about?" Kantra stood up and leaned against her windowsill.

"Yesterday, when he found me. He wanted to fight me and I refused to. So he attacked me and I had to defend myself. That is when he must have smelt I was Ooman. When he chased me just now, he followed me in here and asked me why I didn't want to fight him."

"Because you are kind hearted my dear." Paya smiled.

"Yes, but I told him how you taught me to respect all life. He said you didn't train me properly and that you forgot to give me a backbone. And he laughed at me, right in my face." She clenched her good fist and banged it on the windowsill. "I was foolish and became angry at his lack of respect for you…"

"Honey." Paya worried and stood up. She ushered for the boys to leave and turned to her daughter. "What did you do then?"

"Oh mother I called him a bad blood." She whimpered and looked to her mother teary eyed.

"You what!" Paya panicked and started to pack her things for her. "We need to get you out of here as fast as possible. I will tell Guan and her sister why later. Where are you weapons and armour?"

"In the floor boards."

"Get them. You might need them." Paya and Kantra packed all her Awu'asa, weapons satchel and clothes together before tip toeing behind the curtain. "My child there is no bigger insult than to call a hunter a bad blood. It is the greatest dishonour by far."

"I should not have done it I know."

"I must make it look like you have fled for now."

"What? Why?"

"Because if he thinks you are still here, he may demand you apologise to him and serve him until he is satisfied that you are sorry. That is the only way for the statement to be retracted…other than a fight…" Paya motioned for her to stay here and vanished into the welcoming hall. But as Paya looked around for _Him_, Kantra peered around the curtain.

He was livid! He threw one of his own men threw a wall as they questioned his mood and actions. And he then beat the hell out of two male slaves as they confronted him about chasing their friend. And he was still fuming! He left the welcoming hall in a mess of bruised bodies and stormed up the stairs to his room, on the top level. He picked a room that looked out onto the gardens and the door was just beneath a skylight. As he paced his room, he focused all of his anger on the one who had caused it.

Himself.

How could he have done that? He was a monster, he knew that. But he shamefully injured a female of a lesser race. She was never meant to be his pray, and yet his hand still rank of her dried blood. He was going to wash it off, but he decided not to. For some reason, he liked the smell. The smell, of blood.

Oh but he knew why. Half his own blood, made him crave the blood of others. And hers smelt oh so sweet…he found himself bringing his hand to his face, pulling off his mask and sniffing it deeply. That smell made his inner beast go wild as he licked his palm clean hungrily. When he had finished, he knotted his brows and stared at the hand, as if it wasn't his own. Why had he done that? He growled and returned to his pacing. As he looked to his bed, he saw his prize twin daggers. They had never really mattered to him that much before. But now he stared at them, spread out on the bed like they were delicate. They mattered to him now…because _she_ he touched them. _She_ had taken care of them and returned them to him. Was that why she came into the open in the first place? To return them? For an ooman she had respectable morals.

That he had insulted!

He roared at himself and kicked a chair at the wall, shattering it into hundreds of pieces. Why couldn't he have controlled his strength? His kind were far stronger than oomans as it was, without his other half of him adding to it. She looked so hurt…

"**Why should I care?" ** He hissed and sulked in the corner. _She is just an ooman. I have hunted my fair share of oomans before. Why is this one any different?_ But she was different. Or he wouldn't have insisted on coming back so quickly, or lingered in holding her hand…

What was this feeling? He was angry at himself, and yet he despaired. He was anxious to go somewhere. Was it to her? Why did the thought of being in her presence again, having her fiery gaze upon him again, appeal to him so much? He looked out the window and saw that his men were practising outside. _I didn't deserve for her to fight me? Why should I want to fight her? No one has ever questioned why to fight before. Why should she?_ He decided to join his men to de stress himself and put his mask back on. But when Cetanu came to the bottom of the stairs, he saw the old woman eyeing the coast for someone. For him? His heart began to beat faster as a familiar scent of Naxa berries and cream hit him full force. He activated his cloaking device and peered around the corner. Peering out of the curtain was none other than his little ooman. Her red hair still as lush as ever, only slightly messy. He crept along the side of the wall, over to the curtain. He simply stood right next to her, looking down at her. Why had he snuck up like this? Why was he hiding? He was Cetanu, the most feared Yautja in the universe. So why did he feel content by simply looking down at the ooman while she wasn't looking? He looked behind her. She had a few bags with her and recognised her mask in her bag. He tried to get a good look at her face, to remember those full lips, those rosy cheeks and those green tempest eyes. And there they were. He found on of his claws reaching out to trace her jaw, and pulled back. What was he doing?

But Paya returned and made him step back as she grabbed her wrist.

"Come child hurry. _He_ hasn't been seen here so let us go now."

"I feel like a coward hiding away…" she sighed and followed her mother. _She does have a fighter's fire. And she will not escape me so easily_ Cetanu followed them outside of the rest house and round the back to a small cottage build on to the side. He watched them enter it and looked in through the window.

"Now stay here. There is plenty of food here and your room is just how you left it." it was quaint, small but homey. It was much to the same basic wooden design as the rest house. Just a hell of a lot smaller.

"I will go unpack. Where are _you_ going?"

"I am supposed to have an appointment with the doctor in the town soon. I must go for my medication. But I am sure that I could stay here if you wish."

"No mother. You need to see the doctor. I promise I will stay here."

"…are you sure?" Paya held her hands and hugged her daughter.

"I am. Now go. I need a shower anyway." Paya sighed and collected everything she would need.

"Everything is in order. I will be back tomorrow. Are you sure? I could stay if. I mean with 'you know who' causing trouble I could."

"No." Cetanu watched as Kantra cupped her mother's face and smiled so beautifully, it took his breath away. That smile was filled with such compassion, such caring. "You need to go for your monthly blood transfusion. You need to."

"But."

"No buts. Besides, like you said, Cetanu doesn't know where I am anymore." Not only was he smirking from his secret knowledge to where she was, but at her guts to say his name. Not even his own men have the balls to say his name. She was proving to be more and more exceptional than he first thought.

"You are right. I will go now. And I will be back tomorrow morning."

"Good bye mother." He watched as they hugged and went their separate ways. One out of the cottage and the other deeper inside it. _so the wench won't be here for the night…and her daughter will be unguarded. Kantra…_ he smirked and quickly returned to his room he knew now what would shock and surprise all who knew of how all his emotions led him to his new conclusion. He knew what he had to do now. He was fascinated by her, and now he knew why. Oh yes, he knew just what he had to do, what _had_ to be done. _Later…later I will ensure you know your place…Kantra…_

Kantra soaked in the bath, steaming water soothing her troubled mind. _Time to recap. The more almost bad blood clan are staying at the rest house; their evil leader is on the hunt, for me, I have to stay cooped up in my childhood home and my mother is in town having a blood transfusion. Don't I feel special..._ She huffed and sat up in the bath. It was very deep so the water just covered the most of her chest and her knees could be seen over the water. Her long red hair was clad to her back, wet and freshly clean. Her eyes were shut as she scrubbed her arms with a sponge. She chuckled as she remembered back to when she, Guan and two of the boys went down the river that flows next to the guest house and went swimming. She remembered this because they were all attacked by a large beast and the boys had to fight it off. Even now those same boys, Dtai'k-dte and his brother Bakkub still looked out for her and the rest of the house as the main enforcers. They were the two males that body guarded her from Cetanu. Even though they are only around 7 feet high, and Cetanu was around 9. _He certainly is big…_ she daydreamed to herself. _But how did he get that tail? I have seen the hard meat from my mother's teachings. That was definitely a hard meat tail…_she gasped as she heard a clunk come from the living room. But then there was silence. Kantra was about to simply dismiss it…until she heard it again. she opened her eyes and looked to the door. _Damn, why did I leave that thing open?_ She started to panic and look around for something, anything that she could use as a weapon. But when even the towel was by the door, out of reach, she groaned. She then bit her lips together. _Damn, now whoever is in here will have heard me._ She put her hands on the sides of the bath, ready to spring into action if need be.

Clank

There is was again.

Her heart started to beat faster as she slowly rose out the water. She stepped out, still naked and ignoring the cool breeze that hit her bare skin as she coiled her fingers around the wooden handle of the loofa bath scrubber. She raised it like it was an axe and stepped forward, towards the open door. She gulped and took a deep breath, and then another step. At first, half her face and one big green eye peered around the door frame, and couldn't see anything. But the sense of being watched, didn't go away. She wasn't alone, she could feel it. She raised the loofa above her head and took a daring stride into the open and heard a hiss to her left. She swung the wooden loofa round with her body and tried to strike whoever was there…and they caught it. Her eyes grew wide as they looked into the red eyes of that same black mask that haunted her every thought. "Cetanu." She gasped and still holding the makeshift weapon, stepped back against the door frame. Now she remembered almost painfully of her unclothed state as the fully armoured, dark hunter, with all his weapons strapped to his sides, his twin daggers sheathed to each outer thigh, alone, where no one could even hear her cry out.

He at first grabbed onto the loofa as it swung for him, and stared into her fearful eyes. He then saw why. Kantra watched as his demonic mask and head lowered to look down her body, up to the loofa, to the bath and then back to her. His eyes grew wide under the mask as he looked yet again to her naked form. He shuck his head, trying desperately not to look at her breast as they rose and fell with each frantic breath. Her heart was racing, her blood pulsing through her veins as she pitifully used her free arm to hold and cover her breasts from view. She raised one knee to hide her lower area, though he had already seen all of her. Kantra cowered into the door frame as he stepped even closer to her. A new smell met her nose and she sniffed to the side. It was a musky smell that she could have sworn reminded her of…no it couldn't be. Was it Dai-shui? But why would there be Dai-shui in the cottage? Unless a couple had decided to mate in the woods, in the wilderness and she could smell it. she wished she could believe this, but it was too strong to be coming from the woods. It was as if…it was coming from…

She became a little braver and leaned closer to him, and sniffed. She slammed herself against the door frame again as she realised that it was Cetanu pumping out the aroused musk. But he couldn't be aroused by her naked body surely. He was here to hunt her. he couldn't be.

"**Round two Ooman. And you will fight me."** He commanded calmly and released the loofa, to give her a weapon. But she dropped it from shock and cowered further away. He took a step towards her, but stopped as she raised a hand.

"B But you h have all your armour." If she planned this right, she might just get to put some clothes on. "And I have nothing…at all…" but when he threw his head back and clattered, she raised her eyebrow in confusion.

"**Then I will equal the field."** He grabbed her arms and threw her so she landed perfectly into the bath. She gasped as she pulled herself out of the water again and pushed her red hair behind her hears to see. Her mouth hung open as he started to take all his weapons off and place them in a neat pile on the floor near the door. _Ok, no weapons to worry about, better than…what the hell is he doing!_ She watched as he kicked his metal sandals off and unclipped his shin guards. _Ok, just taking his shin guards off. They do rub a lot after all he he…oh no why is he taking his chest plates off! _Kantra couldn't believe it when all of his Awu'asa joined the neat pile and he stood there solely in his hanging cloth, mask and body mesh. He began to pull at his body mesh when Kantra jumped up and raised her hands. When he started to growl at her she blushed and dropped back into the water.

"D Don't take anything else off. I just said that so I could put some clothes on! Not for you to to erm." But he clattered and the mesh was off in one swipe. "Why are you taking all that off? You have finished, haven't you?" she screeched and prayed he had, but he hadn't. He vanished for a moment, and returned. From the clicks she heard, he had locked all the windows and doors and the lack of light meant he had also closed all the curtains. _Damn_.

"**Come out or I will come in there and hunt you." ** He kept his voice stoic, purposely to mislead her on his intentions.

"Please don't hunt me. I haven't done anything wrong, please." She begged and slowly, and very reluctantly, stepped out of the bath. He made a motion with his head for her to come closer, and she did. Her arms covering her chest, her eyes closed and her mind wishing she was elsewhere. He was going to kill her. He had evened the playing field so that he could kill her honourably. Pah!

She was a few steps away from him, and she saw his hands take hold of his belt. _What the Pauk is he doing! He isn't going to; he can't be about to, could he? _The belt dropped to the floor leaving him very, very naked. Her eyed snapped shut. She wasn't about to be in a position to be accused of seeing him naked as well as calling him a bad blood. She refused to open her eyes, even when she heard him walk towards her. His musky scent was even stronger now that it was before, and she thought that perhaps because he was obviously part hard meat, he might be giving off the musk as a warning of death, not arousal.

"**Are you ready?"** he clicked in his throat.

"No." what could she do? Something, anything to by her time to run around him and to help. And to think she wouldn't even be able to look into the eyes of the male who would kill her…wait…that was it! "Wait!" she yelped.

"**Wait? For what?"** Kantra raised her head and looked him straight in the face.

"Your mask. I don't h have one; you want to be equal d don't you? T take it off. Or b be dishonourable." She started to lose her nerve towards the end, but managed it. "I want to look into your eyes before we have 'round 2'."

"**You…want to see my face?"** no one had ever wanted to actually see his face before. Even when she was clearly terrified, she amazed him once again. **"Then I shall remove my mask." ** He turned away and she heard the hissing as he unclipped his mask. She used this opportunity to run around him and got a few steps before a large tail coiled around her waist and lifted her into the air. **"Very clever. You are very worthy."** His heart began to beat faster as he felt her squirm in his grasp.

There was one thing for sure; there was no way she was going to go down without a fight. She knew she would lose, but she would go down fighting. She forgot her modesty and thumped his tail and kicked at his chest.

"Put me down!"

"**As you wish."** And he simply dropped her…onto the bed. Kantra grabbed a fist full of his dreadlocks as he leaned over her and yanked hard. He growled and grabbed her red hair, snapping her head back onto the pillow. _So she likes to fight rough does she? Well, I can fight rough too._ He used his grasp on her to force her to look into his face for the first time. His eyes were a dark crimson red with piercing black pupils. He looked just like every other Yautja, but his skin was dark black and his tusks were a brilliant white. His eyes entranced her and she stopped struggling against him, releasing his dreadlocks and bringing her hands to his face. He flinched at first, but as her soft fingertips traced every feature of his face, he closed his eyes and purred to her touch. He even crawled onto the bed, until he was on his hands and knees over her lying form and pushed his face into her hands. His tail wagged madly behind him as she stroked his tusks. He slowly lowered himself, almost between her legs when she snapped out of it. Sure, his face was handsome, but she wasn't stupid or gormless. She wasn't about to become a zombie and let him kill her. So she banged her fists onto his chest fiercely and squirmed again.

"Got off me!" he flinched from this. He thought that…but she was so intimate with him and…he felt hurt. But then he was determined. Her little display had shown him that she felt something, only if it was a small something, it was something. She pushed his chest hard and made him lay on his back. She then jumped up, grabbed the end of his tail and put her foot on his chest. She panted and held the spear end of his tail like it was a useable weapon above her head. He clattered and lifted her off the bed, so her legs kicked around as she dangled and whimpered above him. Cetanu took one ankle in each hand and began to lower her onto him. Kantra had her mouth open as he made her straddle him. It would have been worse if she hadn't have put her hands on his chest in time and hold her pelvis above his.

Ok, now she was starting to think he didn't _just_ want to kill her. "What are you doing? I thought you wanted to hunt me? You said I was worthy."

"**I_ am_ hunting you. And _you_ are worthy."** He clattered and grabbed her neck, pulling her body flat against his and running his mandibles over the base of her collar bone. **"Worthy…as a mate."**

"But you want to kill me! I am an Ooman! You hunt Oomans and."

"**You are no simple Ooman." ** He purred and nipped at her neck softly, and very sensually. **"You are strong, kind, honourable, attractive, pure mind and hearted, and a skilled fighter. No one has ever come as close to defeating me in battle as you have dear Kantra."** He purred and stroked her arms.

"But you wanted to fight me, round 2 remember?"

"**Remember when you asked why I wanted to fight you?"**

"Yes?" she mumbled, very uncomfortable in this position.

"**I did not know until now. But it was because I wished to prove myself as a mate to you. And to ensure you would make a worthy mate to me."**

"But you dishonoured me. You ridiculed me and my mother's teachings. You hurt my hand…" Cetanu looked to her still bandaged hand. And he kissed it.

"**I was rude before, but it was not meant how it sounded. And I apologies for my 'ridicule' of your mother's teachings. And as for your hand…"** He dragged his mandibles over the bandage and looked back into her eyes. **"I am more than I appear, that is obvious to you yes?"**

"Well, I have only ever seen hard meats with tails."

"**You have been on a hunt?"**

"No, but I have seen the dead bodies that are brought here to make life size trophies." She tried to pull off him, but he quickly wrapped his tail around her waist, holding her in place. His hands then held her shoulders and pulled her against him again.

"**I will take you on many hunts. You will bring your family much honour and attain many trophies."** She faltered. She had always wanted to…no! She couldn't think like that!

"You still haven't told me about my hand…though I already now it was my fault. I called you a…"

"**I remember…"** he frowned, but didn't let her go.

"I'm sorry. I, I shouldn't have, I mean I didn't think I."

"**Hush."** He stroked her cheeks and purred to her. **"I forgive you. And I apologise for the injury I have caused you. As I was insinuating before, I am not what I appear. I will tell you only this for now, I am not a true Yautja. I, like yourself, was taken in by the true Yautja worriers and raised to be one of them. I am half Yautja, half hard meat."**

"I thought as much…" she looked back into his eyes. Those red eyes were just too much. She couldn't see, to look away from them.

"**So my strength is more than you could imagine. And in my moment of anger, it caused me to hurt you. And I apologies. Forgive me."** His large hands seeped up her back and roamed her body, with no restraint.

"I do forgive you, but, erm." How was she supposed to say this one? "What did you mean exactly when you said I was worthy as a mate?" She looked out the gap in the curtain, and almost lost her breath. Guan was walking across the field and would be here in the next 15 minuets from a guess. She was walking rather slowly, but she was also coming straight for the cottage. _Oh no. what will this look like?_

"**I mean what I say. You are worthy to be a mate, my mate."** with this he regained her full attention and her eyes were wide open, shocked.

"What? But I thought that, I mean the Cor'ja hunt oomans and I am an ooman…unfortunately…but I am one and." He pressed a finger against her lips and purred to her.

"**You have taken my eyes, my intentions and my heart. And yes, even a monster like myself has a heart. And it now belongs, to you."** He returned to nipping at her skin with this tusks. He couldn't believe he finally realised his own feelings, and revealed them to her so willingly. He knew deep down he was attracted to her form first sight, but now he was truly under her spell. She would be his. She _was_ his. And he would have her…

Kantra couldn't speak.

He had just told her he wanted her to be his mate. She was so surprised by this, she relaxed and lowed herself onto him. So she straddled him just above his lower abdomen. But as soon as her most sensitive skin touched his body, she gasped and jumped back up again while Cetanu growled loudly.

"Guan." She whimpered and pointed to the window. "She will be here in a few minuets." He sat up and held her against him. She blushed madly and bit her lip as he sat her on his lap, his hard groin brushing up against her. But as he saw through the window, he growled and clicked his mandibles together, plainly frustrated.

Cetanu let go of her and laid her on the bed, while he quickly got his clothes together. He slowly turned to face her. It was the most tempting, erotic scene he had ever seen. Kantra was laid their, naked, legs spread and looking at his hardening shaft at last. He clattered and she looked bashfully up at his eyes. She had been caught looking and looked like she had turned into a tomato from the colour her face had turned. Let's just say, her face matched her hair now.

"**You win round 2, for now." **He chuckled and put himself away, smug with her gob smacked look when she saw just how endowed he was. **"But…just you wait until round 3."** He strapped on his weapons and activated his cloaking device. Concerned that she could no longer see him, Kantra pulled the bed covers over her and hid. She screamed loudly when a hand tried to pull the cover away.

"AAAAAA!"

"Hay! Hay it's me, Guan."

"Oh thank the Gods!" Kantra wrapped the blanket around her and hugged Guan so tightly that she couldn't breath. "Oh, sorry."

"What happened to you? You look like you were just. Never mind. What has happened?"

"Round two is finished. Round three will soon begin. And I, have been given an ultimatum. One, that if I don't win round three…I might not survive."


	6. Chapter 6

_**Chapter 6**_

"What the heavens?" Paya saw her cottage door wide open and cautiously made her way there. She had just arrived home earlier than she had expected, and this looked more than suspicious. As she looked inside, she was shocked. There was a quivering bundle in the main bed and two of her most trusted girls on the bed, trying to pull the cover away and comforting it. "Guan? Dachande? What has happened here? Where is my daughter?"

"Oh Mistress!" Dachande said sorrowfully and ran to her, and held her hands. "Mistress, Kantra is in the bed. She won't stop crying."

"What!" Paya then walked over to the bed and sat where Dachande once did. "Kantra?" when she only got whimpers as an answer, Guan nodded her head respectfully to her.

"Mistress. Would you like me to tell you what I know?"

"Yes child, do." Paya pealed some of the blanket back and saw the pale face of her daughter. It brought a tear to her face. She looked as white as a ghost, her cheeks were red from burning tears and her eyes seemed to have dimmed since she last saw her. her hair was a mess, like she hadn't gotten out of bed all day and all the fire seemed to have left her eyes. All the fight in her spirit had gone. And an actual tear did fall from Paya's eyes.

"Mistress?"

"Go on Guan. I am listening." Guan sniffed. She had cried upon seeing her too.

"Well Mistress, I came to check on her after I couldn't find her and heard she had come here, to hide. I came in and she was in the bed."

"Did she say anything?" Paya stroked her cheek with her talons, and teared as her own daughter flinched away from her.

"Yes Mistress. She said something about a 'round 2', round three will soon begin, and something about an ultimatum. And then she just kept saying she had to win it or she won't survive."

"Anything else?"

"No Mistress. She hasn't said anything since…she just won't talk. She won't eat, drink, speak…she just wont leave the bed…"

"Oh my darling." Paya whimpered and stroked her face again. "My darling Pup, it's me, Paya. Your mother."

"Mommy?" Kantra whimpered and looked up at her, melting Paya's heart.

"Yes sweetie. Mommy's here." Paya sniffled as Kantra leaned over with the blanket wrapped around her and wrapped her arms around her. "Oh my baby girl. What happened to you?" but Kantra just cried into her mother's stomach with her head on her lap. "Who did this to you…do you know?" she looked to Guan, but she just shuck her head.

"No Mistress. I do not. She won't tell me…"

"I bet I know!" D said angrily and clenched her fists. "I bet that Cor'ja leader scared her senseless like this!" she pointed to Kantra who shuddered. "It was him wasn't it Kantra? It was Cetanu!" D shouted and was hushed by her elder Yautja, and Kantra started shaking madly and hid under the covers again.

"Look what you did. Come back to mommy." Paya coxed, to no avail.

"Mistress, it was him I know it. He did something, I know it." D looked to the open door. "And I'm going to find out!"

"Dachande no!" Guan shouted and ran after D as she shot out the door. Paya would have been worried, if it was D chasing Guan. But it was Guan doing the chasing so there was no way her younger sister could out run her. Guan was too fast. No alone with her daughter, perhaps she could get some real answers.

"Kantra? Kantra honey. Won't you tell mommy what happened?" Paya laid on the bed, eye level with Kantra now and stroked her face. Her aged white and grey dreads helping her wrinkled smile to make her appear soft and loving. Like she truly was. "Talk to me, please…please…"

"He." she managed and started shaking again.

"Shhhhhhh my pup. Take your time."

"H he c c c c." she stuttered and pulled the blanket to her nose. Her eyes still wide with fear. "He c ca came h h here." Was all she could manage before she broke down into tears and sobs again. That was all Paya needed. Dachande was right. It was _him_ who came here. It had to be.

"And what did he do here? Did he try to hunt you again?" Kantra whimpered louder and hid under the covers. To Paya, that was a bona fide yes. "Oh my poor baby…"

ooOoo

"Dachande! You come back here right now or else!" Guan roared. Usually she was faster than D, but today the floors were wet from mapping and D had better balance than Guan. So she hadn't fallen down as many times. "I swear you better stop right now or you are a dead Yautja skating!"

"I am not stopping until I get my hands on the creep! I don't care if he kills me for it! No one treats my friend like that!"

"No come back!"****but Guan was already one flight of stairs ahead of her and there was no way she could get between Dachande and his evil-ship in time. "No!" pretty soon Dachande was at the very top level and banging on the very room that Cetanu was staying in.

"Open up you rotten hard meat pauking C'jit for brains! Oh dare you! What did you do to my best friend you damn bad blood!"

"NOOOO!" Guan was running flat out to the stairs when a pair of hands grabbed her shoulders and yanked her around a corner. It was Thwei.

"What are you doing here? No one is allowed onto his lordship's level and."

"Not now Thwei! My sister!" she pushed him off and tried to get to D before she got herself killed. When she got to there, D was on her knees and her fists were still pressed against the door, her head hung over into her lap.

"Why won't you answer me?...Kantra…what did you do to her…?" D sobbed as Guan dragged her away as quickly as possible while muttering to herself.

"Damn sister, damn temper problem and damn lack of concern for her own life. I hope you know you could have been killed back there!" she growled. She had a hold on D by the scruff oh her neck with one hand. "If he had actually been in then I would be dragging a dead sister right now! Are you an idiot!" when they got to the level below the top floor. There, Thwei had his arms crossed and stood between the next set of stairs and Guan. "Oh Thwei, I just need to."

"You are not going anywhere." He said sternly, not at all amused with her. _darn…this isn't going to be pretty. _

"I can explain. But first I need to put my _suicidal _sister back in her room." she growled towards D and yanked her forward again.

"I said." He stepped forward. "You are not going anywhere."

"Urgh." She groaned and turned to D. "Go to the cottage and see if you can help with the Mistress and Kantra. And don't do anything stupid. Or I _will_ beat you for it!" Guan shoved D towards the stairs and past Thwei. "I mean it, behave."

"Yeah whatever…" she slowly skulked off down the stairs and Guan turned back to face Thwei.

"It appears that your Lord and master paid my friend a visit. And scared her witless." She growled and stared bloody murder at the wall. "She is such a strong person, and he has reduced her to a shivering, crying mess who won't come out from under the covers. I don't know what he did or said to her, but I hate him for it…" she wrapped her arms around herself and hung her head forward. "I couldn't stop crying at first when I saw her…" Thwei rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I also do not know what my master did, but he will have had his reason and motivation. He."

"Don't even try to defend him to me Thwei." She spat and shrugged away from him. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to bite your head off like that. I just, you would be like this if you saw her."

"I am sorry for you." He pulled her into his arms and stroked the back of her head as she cried into his chest. "We, I am sorry but, we can't be seen."

"I know." she pulled back and bowed respectively. A couple of Cor'ja members walked past. "is that all you wish of me sir?"

"That is all for now…" he waited for them to walk away. "Miss night…" He whispered and checked that the coast was clear. He then launched at her and embraced her with a passionate kiss. This only lasted for a few minuets as the sound of closing footsteps broke them apart again. "Meet with me."

"Kantra…she needs me right now…" Guan looked to her feet.

"Please, come to me. you are getting yourself down about Kantra. Meet with me in my room, later. I will help you take your mind off her." she frowned but he put his hands up. "I didn't mean it like that. We can talk about it in private and you can detail me in how she if faring. True, I have no concerns for your friend, but she is _you_ friend. So it is important to you, as it is me."

"If I came to your room." she paused as another group of hunters passed. "I would be seen."

"Then you could." He paused and pulled a frown at her, as an act. When they were alone he took her hands and looked deep into her hands. "Then we could meet in the woods. I am sure they are beautiful sight at night, for a walk. But not as beautiful or nearly as breathtaking as it is for me to gaze into your perfect eyes. I."

"I will meet you." She smiled and brushed her mandibles with his briefly, before pulling away. "After dark. I will meet you at the edge, where the river hides within the woods."

"And I will be there, waiting."

"Until then. And thank you."

"I hope your friend improves before then. I wish to see you smiling again."

"I hope she gets better too."

"GUAN?" Vikta shouted from the bottom of the stairs and Thwei reluctantly released her hands.

"Tonight."

"Tonight." She ran down to meet Vikta. With one last glance at the mad who was currently and solely on her mind and in her heart like no one had ever been before.

All Vikta wanted was to ask her if she would be representing her wing in the next games, as Kantra is out of action. Guan agreed, for now. That got rid of her and she finished up her shift. She then returned to the Mistress's cottage and found Kantra still in the bed, Paya making some fresh tea and Dachande on the bed, trying to coax Kantra from under the covers.

"Come on Mighty Mop. Smile for me, it's me, D. Paya has some tea for you, if you get dressed."

"How is she?" Guan spoke quickly to Paya, who looked almost as distressed as Kantra.

"She has yet to speak. She will not say anything to anyone. I fear…she is no longer capable of rational thought."

"No…" Guan looked to her feet. "Now _I_ feel like going after the Cor'ja leader…" D heard that, but was too concerned for the quivering Kantra to reply to it. "What could he have done to her?"

ooOoo

It was a few hours later before Guan hid in the darkness of a large tree. In the distance, she could see the dim candle light from within the small cottage, over cast by the colossal guest house. _She wouldn't even look at me…not even at the mistress…"_ she sniffled and looked to the moon. _And to think, I used to get upset at her for getting up on the roof and staring at the stars…and yet…not I would give anything for her to be up there…has she really lost her mind?_ Guan, thinking she was alone, finally allowed all her worries and emotions erupt from her throat and pool in her eyes. Her tears came in a flood of sorrow and she fell to her knees. She thumped the ground and roared angrily. "Damn him!"

"I take it there has been little improvement?" Guan gasped and turned to see Thwei, leaning against a tree watching her with pity.

"I wish there were at least a little improvement. But there has been none…The mistress believes that she may have lost her mind…" Thwei pulled away from the wall and helped Guan to her feet.

"Come now, it is alright."

"I should be showing weakness in front of you. But I could let it out before, it would only distress everyone even more." She whimpered and buried her face into his neck, as she _was_ taller than him.

"I can see that being the strong one, has taken its toll." He rubbed her back and clicked comforting words to her. "You should not carry the burden of the Ooman. She is you friend, I know that. but it wasn't you fault."

"So I am just supposed to forget it and not care?"

"No, of course not. I just…don't like seeing you this upset." She sniffled and looked down on him, her eyes twinkling. "You are truly beautiful. Especially when you smile."

"And you excel at making me smile." Thwei took one of her dark dreadlocks and played with it between his fingers.

"I could really make you smile, if you wanted me to." now, as much as you would have expected it to, that statement didn't have the usual arrogant, randy/cocky hint to it. "But if you are not in the right mood for that, I understand. We could go for a walk if you wanted to?"

"Yes, I would like that." they held hands and he gave her a reassuring squeeze. They walked along the river in silence, taking a few glances at each other, when the other was not looking. As they did a full circle, Guan stopped and pulled Thwei into a hug. "Thank you so much."

"Thank you for what?"

"For listening to me. I must be acting like a real wet Naxa leaf."

"Well…" he chuckled and got a smile from her. "Not at all. The Ooman matters to you."

"Her name is Kantra."

"Oh, well, Kantra means a lot to you. I know you said there has been no improvement…but has she spoken of what happened to her yet?"

"No, she won't say anything to anyone…not even to the Mistress." Guan sighed and looked to the cottage. They were right outside of it now, only a few feet away. "She hasn't even left the bed…"

"Surely she must have said something? This is just so unheard of."

"Well your master certainly came to her, scared her and I hate to think about what he did to her…as she was naked when we found her…"

"What are you saying!" Thwei stepped back and growled.

"Look, Kantra was in the bed, crying her eyes out, completely naked and talking about going 'rounds' with him, scared out of her mind. What do you think I am saying!" she didn't like the way Thwei was all of a sudden frustrated and angry with her…not at all.

"How dare you! My lord would never touch her!"

"And why would you say that?" she spat. "Is that because she is just a lowly ooman?"

"What! I didn't say that!" he stomped his foot into the ground, but Guan stood tall.

"You didn't have to! I know you don't like her, you keep calling her ooman when you know her name."

"It isn't that _I _don't like her, I just know that my master does not. he hates Oomans for…his own reasons. So I know he wouldn't even."

"Exactly! He hates her! the first thing he tried to do when he saw her was kill her!"

"My Lord is not a killer! He is noble and has more honour than that!"

"Oh, so if he warns her before he tries to gut her open, then that is classed as honourable? I can't believe this!" she threw her hands up in the air and growled. "If I had known that you were going to be like this, I wouldn't have come. I _should_ be in there, with Kantra. But no, I came out here with you. Only to get this!" she turned away from him, but he grabbed her arm and yanked her back.

"I simply refuse to believe the slander you are accusing my master of! And you are acting outrageous!"

"Let me go!"

"FINE!" he let go of her and clenched both fists. "If you would rather stay in there, with an honourless little ooman nut wench who has lost her marbles, who has lost the ability to even defend herself, then come to me, the one who cares for you, then FINE!"

"FINE!" she growled and turned her back.

"FINE! LEAVE!"

"FINE! I WILL!" she spat back and ran into the cottage, slammed the door and hissed loudly. "The sheer nerve! I was right all along! He is nothing but a jerk, an absolute cad!" she grunted and froze as she saw both Paya, and Dachande look at her puzzlingly. "D, never get involved with males. They are just not worth it." she growled, crawled onto the floor and covered herself inside a blanket. D and Guan were staying here, with Kantra until she got better…they hoped she got better…

normally D would have seen the fowl mood Guan was in and ask her about it. but this time, she didn't for two reasons. 1, they had argued so loud that everyone inside the cottage has heard every word. And 2, Kantra was much more important right now than a lovers tiff. Eve if the tiff had been about her.

Kantra was laid in bed still, under the covers and assumed asleep.

Though she wasn't. and she had heard every word of the argument.

_If you would rather stay in there, with an honourless little ooman nut wench who has lost her marbles, who has lost the ability to even defend herself, then come to me, the one who cares for you, then FINE!_

_Oh my gosh…he is right…I am an honourless little ooman. I am a nut and a wench and have lost my marbles. I can't defend myself…just look at me! Naked and vulnerable here, relying on momma and D and Guan to look after me. _

_Like a poor little Ooman…_

…_I thought I wasn't just a poor little Ooman. I thought the whole reason I am who I am, was because I was out to prove that I had more stuff about me that 'just a poor little ooman'. I remember when I used to beat everyone at everything, at their own game. I could certainly beat all of the males, all at once, in battle. I am the mighty mop of the games…oh D. _

_They want me to be strong again, back to good old Kantra. But…Cetanu…he is big and powerful and out to get me. Even if he doesn't want to kill me anymore, he is still out to get me…for other reasons…_

Tears seeped slowly from her eyes and she had to bite her lips to stop a whimper.

Then, something just clicked. She sat bolt upright and had no emotion on her face. Not even when the three female Yautja looked to her with hope.

"Kantra…?" She looked to her mother and nodded.

"I am fine mother." She said, almost like a drone. "I will sort everything out now…I understand what I have to do." She smiled softly, and lowered into the bed. Paya and the girls didn't know what to say. But when they saw the peaceful look on her face as she slept, they prayed that perhaps, everything would be alright. D was the last one to get to sleep. She watched as everyone drifted off, before lowering her own head to her hands. _ I don't know what kind of epiphany you had Kantra, but I hope this means the mighty mop is back…I don't know what I would do if you stayed like this…_


	7. Chapter 7

**_Chapter 7_**

When Paya awoke, it was already dawn. Her aching bones punctuated her age and the hardness of the floor she had slept on. Having had to press pain from her mind for many years now, she expertly ignored the shooting pains in her spine and prepared herself for work. She still had a business to run after all. When she was dressed in her long blue kimono with large white sleeves, she knelt down and shuck Guan back to consciousness.

"Guan my child, it is time to work. Awake your sister and return to your room. I will have the chores ready for the wings by the time you are showered and ready." Guan nodded her head and threw a groaning/protesting Dachande over her shoulder, cast one last look to the still sleeping Kantra, and left without a word.

Paya stroked Kantra's long red hair before sitting next to her. "My darling? Are you awake?" her eyes fluttered open, and Paya caught her breath in her throat. Kantra had actually smiled. "How do you feel?"

"Better, thank you Mistress."

"I told you to call me mother." She chuckled softly as Kantra sat herself up.

"And I wish to be respectful. May I have a shower please?"

"Of course." Kantra bowed her head respectfully, and left to the bathroom. Paya was her mother, so covering herself was not necessary. The Mighty Mistress teared slightly; her prayers had truly been answered. Her pup had returned to her from the shroud of inner torment, into the loving light of her mother once more. Paya sat on the bed, a fresh set of clothes in her hands and waited for her daughter to return. When she did, Kantra had a large towel wrapped around her and it trailed behind her. Another towel rubbed at her long, lush red hair and her deep green eyes met with Paya's wise ones.

"Here, I have brought you some new clothes."

"Thank you, but I have already got an outfit in mind."

"You have?" she couldn't see one.

"Did you say there was food in here?" she quickly changed the subject, sat at a small coffee table and began to comb threw her hair with a wooden comb.

"Yes, would you like some rice?"

"Yes please, thank you." Kantra eagerly gobbled down the rice, drank her tea and by that time, her hair was dry and waving down her back like a fan. "Thank you."

"Are you feeling better now? I will not leave you until."

"I am fine…mother." Paya smiled behind her mandibles and nodded, a list in hand.

"Then I must leave to instruct the rest of the bath house. I will return later in the day." Paya reached the door, before Kantra stated calmly.

"I will not be here when you come back." Paya turned, her worries rising again slowly like an ebbing tide against the shore, and looked for an explanation.

"Why? Where will you be?" Kantra didn't need to speak to answer. She simply pulled the well hidden leather satchel from under the table, and leaned back in the chair. Her mask protruded from the opening and Paya gasped. "No! You, you can't!"

"I must." Kantra put her china cup down and started to pull items from the bag. First of all, she threw the under suit aside. "I will not need this anymore. Everyone knows what I am and I am not ashamed." She pulled on a full layer of brown body mesh over her peach skin, then a long brown hanging cloth and reached into the bag. But Paya put her hand over it.

"No, please no my child." her grey dreadlocks swaying with the movements of her head.

"He has insulted your honour, mother. I will not stand for this."

"I am not insulted. There is no need for this." Kantra pulled the bag off the floor and onto the bed, before pulling out a brown halter neck boob tube, putting one foot on the chair and she reached round to tie the straps around her neck.

"He disrespected your, and myself. He injured me with no cause, no need and further invaded my required privacy. He came into my child hood home and…I will not stand for this." The straps were taken from her hands and tied for her, tightly from someone with more experience than herself.

"I will not have you throw your life away because of either your pride, or for my honour. And they are not the reasons you wish to do this. Why are you really risking yourself like this? Against the Cor'ja leader no less." Kantra strapped her metal sandals on and started to tie her bronze shin guards in place. "…answer me Kantra. Please." The despairing and concerned note to her request, halted Kantra for a moment. But she soon began to adjust her other shin guard. "Kantra please!" Paya held her shoulders and she stood tall, her back to her mother.

"He does not wish to hunt me to kill me." she paused only to let her words sink in, before clasping her body and back armour into place.

"Then what does he want with you? A trophy?"

"He doesn't want me for a trophy…he wants me for…" Paya waited patiently as the arm and shoulder plates were fastened, then her chest plates, her wrist blades and spiky gloves, before finally her mask was in her hands. Kantra turned and looked her mother in her eyes. "He wants me for a…mate." then to hide all fear and emotion from her mother's eyes, her mask slide as a safety blanket over her and clasped into place. Her eyes were now hidden by her vision lenses and Kantra began to clip knifes and her spear to her belt, holding only her double ended mace staff before her.

Paya was lost for words. In fact, if it wasn't for the face that she had a special air supply surgically grafted to the back of her neck, she would have possibly stopped breathing.

"A mate…?" was all she could say, repeat what her daughter had already confirmed. Kantra pulled her hair out from her body mesh and let if flow behind her, the exotic human blood colour a promise of things to come.

"So now you know. I must rise up to meet his challenge, of submit to his unwelcome goal." Kantra walked past her stunned mother and stood perfectly still in the door way. "For a while back there…I did give in. but never again. I will never submit to anyone, especially not _him_."

"My lord?" he growled, this was not what he had in mind. He wanted to tell his elder and lesser to shut the hell up before he slashed his voice box from his throat. But he couldn't do that now could he? Jafna was useful. He grunted in response and rose his hand, signifying he was listening. "Well my lord, I have a list of activities that you may find it worth enjoying, or enjoy the experience of. There are the famous baths, the training grounds, the tournament there is once a month." He just babbled on and on and on! Cetanu wanted to just roar at him, get up, and find the one thing he really wanted to enjoy the experience of. _Kantra._ "And then there is the…what on heavens is _she_ doing here?" Jafna, Cetanu and many of his other men were sat in the community section. It was actually quite relaxing in there, when you didn't have a babbling idiot trying to kiss your ass every two seconds.

And then he saw her.

The doors burst open on their hinges and at least three hunters went flying from the sudden impact of wood on wood. That body, that armour, that dangerous staff with a mace head on either end, that body language…_Kantra!_ He sat up in the chair; his tail lazily draped over the back of it and was glad he was dressed in his full Awu'asa. As it looked like he was about to have some fun…

"Cetanu!" she yelled and ignored the sudden gasps. Not even his men, or the elders dared to call him by his name. Obviously he rose to his feet, her black armour and mask shining with their polished finish in the sun light, which poured in through the windows.

"How dare you address his Lordship! You filthy Ooman!" Jafna gave her the most disgusted look, and froze as Cetanu snarled at him. "My lord?" but Cetanu back handed him, sending him flying into three other hunters. His long black dreadlocks swung with the motion of his head as he looked back to her. He took a step towards her, and stopped as she held her favourite weapon in a low fighting stance.

"I may just be a 'filthy Ooman', but I am here to show everyone that I am much more than that. you want a third round? You just got one!" she threw a knife from her belt and with years of accuracy, penetrated his upper right thigh. He roared and threw his head back. Dachande, who had been assigned to hand out drinks on that level, ran out to her with three of the larger males to help her escape.

"Kantra get out of here! Are you insane."

"No, for once, I am very clear minded." She refused to move, even when Vikta and D tried to push her down the stairs, she stood strong. "You want me Cetanu!" she shouted. His head jolted towards her, his hissing showing just how pissed off he was while one hand pulled the knife from his leg. "Then come and get me. We end this now!" with a mighty roar, his long skeletal tail swept the room and sent everyone to their backs, everyone, except Kantra. She jumped over it and ran down the stairs. He followed her at an unbelievable pace and found both her, and now himself outside. They didn't stop until Kantra turned on her heels and faced him head on. They were in the coliseum again, on her terms. _Very clever._ "Now, it ends." She prepared for attack, when Cetanu put his hands up. He pulled his mask from her face, and clipped it to his belt. Seeing his face again made her face blush, he really was handsome…for a bastard! She reminded herself. She took a step forward, and he took one back.

"**Your mask. I don't have one: you want to be equal don't you? Take it off. Or be dishonourable."** He hissed with a chuckle. But his plan worked as she pulled her mask from her face, and clipped it to her belt too.

"As you wish." She spat, playing along. His red eyes seemed to come to life upon seeing her green ones.

"**Much better."** She dropped to a fighting stance again, only for him to back off again. **"You said you wanted to end this, right here right now. Is this still correct?"**

"Yes."

"**Then let's make this the deciding bout. Winner takes all."** Kantra stood up, her eyebrow raised and she folded her arms.

"Why? What did you have in mind?" she said cautiously.

"**You know I desire you as I mate, but I have yet to ask you."**

"I have noticed." He started to walk around the ring, but she didn't move. This attempt to intimidate her wouldn't work, she was ready for anything.

"**Then let this be the final battle between us. If you win, what do you want?"**

"I want you to leave me alone, stop coming after me and leave as soon as possible. Forever. But what really worries me, is what do you want if you win?"

"**If I win, which I will, you will eternally be my mate, with no strings attached, no going back, and no refusing. You would be mine, my mate, until the end of time." **Kantra grew quite. **"We will know the winner by…"** he looked around for an idea. Then one came to him. **"The winner will be decided by this."** He walked to one side of the arena, and used the spear point of his tail to draw a line in the dirt floor. He then walked past Kantra, who was still on her guard, and drew another line opposite. **"One line is mine, the other yours. We shall begin in the centre and if you put both my feet past my line, you win. If I drag both your feet past your line, I win. Deal?" ** He stood in the centre with her and extended a hand. She looked to it, but didn't move to take it.

"Why do you want me to be your mate." the question was softer than anything she had said that day. "Why me?"

"**When I win, I will tell you."** He clattered and pulled both flame blades from each thigh sheath in one sweeping motion. He then held them together before him making an X with them. But they were not the small, agile daggers that Kantra returned to him. These had the same flame shape blade, but they were as large as machetes. How could she have not noticed them until now? Kantra held her weapon horizontal to her own chest, and span it once, paused, twice, paused and then held it next to her like a battering ram, her knees bent and furious green eyes focused on her opponent. As their eyes bore into one another, the doors opened and in came Paya, the staff and many, many Cor'ja.

"My Lord? What is happening?" Jafna held his chin and looked to Kantra. "I see you are giving her what she deserves."

"**You could say that."** he clattered and made Kantra growl. He chuckled at that. She sounded so much like a Yautja when she was angry.

"You will lose." She just about promised.

"Kantra!" D shouted, held back only by her older sister. Guan looked to the Mistress, who looked like she saw death before her. But then again, Cetanu did mean the God of death no didn't it. What Guan couldn't understand, is why Paya wasn't asking what was happening or why. It was as if she already knew. Paya addressed the growing crowd calmly.

"Please, there are many seats in the stands, we can all watch from a safe distance…" the Cor'ja all sat on one side, making a sea of black and red. Only a few blue dots could be seen. On the opposing side, was the sea of pink and light blue, al cheering and hooting for Kantra. The black side roared their master's name at the same time.

"**You once called me a bad blood."** Kantra was a little caught off guard by this sudden change of topic. And the hurt in his voice didn't go unnoticed. **"I will prove you wrong."** He walked to the very centre which was outlined as a circle, and extended his hand. **"You did not take my hand last time, take it this time. Please…"** Everyone would have gone silent by his actual manners if they weren't shouting so loudly. Kantra slowly walked to the other side of the small circle, and bowed. Cetanu did the same, and smiled as she took his hand in a firm grip.

"Which line is yours?" she said, eager to get this over with.

"**The one behind me and before my clan. The one nearest your…mother…is your line. You will be taking a trip there soon."**

"Not going to happen." Kantra swore sternly, and turned her back to him. "Turn your back and my mother will blow the horn to begin."

"**Very well…"** he couldn't resist. **"My sweet."** Paya blew the horn and both combatants roared, signifying their attack…

Kantra ducked as a long blade swung around for her. It missed and she got a good back kick into his gut. He didn't even step back or flinch from it and span his blades at either side of him. She had to use her smaller frame and quicker reflexes to dodge them. But she realised something. She stopped dead, and so did he. He wanted her to be his mate; he wasn't going to hurt her. This was just to drive her back behind her line. And it wasn't going to work.

"Nice try." She rolled between his legs and tried to kick to his head. But as she was 6 foot, and he was 9 foot, her leg only got to his upper chest. He threw one blade in the air, caught her foot, span her on her pivot and caught his blade, slotting both blades back onto his thighs.

"**Since I intend you no physical harm, perhaps weapons should be discounted?"**

"I don't need a weapon to defeat you." She threw the mace to the side and saw him coming a mile off. His head went back, he roared with all his mandibles flared and adrenaline pumping through his veins. He charged at her, but she side stepped him. Her smirk however faded when she realised it had never been his intention to charge her, as his tail clotheslined her to the floor. "AH!" she held her head and looked up at him. He was circling her again and his clan was cheering loudly, snickering at her downfall. "You will pay for that."

"**I would like to see you try."** He clattered as she jumped to her feet, up into the air and roundhouse kicked him in the jaw. His head snapped back and his yell echoed through the coliseum. He even staggered back as he gathered himself.

"Told you I would make you…." The glint of deadly delight sparkled in his blood red eyes, highly amused and slightly aroused by her show of strength. "…pay?" he dropped to a crouching position, swept at the floor and she jumped up. "You tired that before, and it didn't work then." She taunted, but he simply chuckled. This brute was loving this! She growled and her foot clinked with her mace staff, and she smirked. She stomped her foot down on it and sent it flying into the air. She caught it, crouched down, span it like a propeller above her head and span with it in the air. She flipped into the air with it and came down to the floor, aiming to strike him head on with such a force, that she didn't know she was capable of.

But Cetanu had seen her coming and stepped to the side. So when she landed on her feet, one end of her staff struck the floor and missed her intended target. He, was stood behind her and quickly looped his arms under hers and lifted her into the air. Her back against his front and her legs flailing everywhere. He kicked the staff over near the door and hissed softly in her ear.

"**I thought you said you didn't need a weapon to defeat me?"** he teased and rubbed his lower mandible against her ear lobe. **"Even if this was a weapons fight, that still wouldn't have worked. You should remember that I was present when you tried to 'perfect' that combo and watched you do it over and over again. And you needed to aim a little more to the right…"** he sniffed at her hair and she popped her hips up and in one motion, licked him with both feet in the head. He dropped her and lost his balance with a hiss. She pushed him while he was disorientated and kept doing this until he was ever closer to his line. She launched at him and landed on his front as he crashed to the ground.

"I did it!" She smiled, but his smirk didn't encourage her.

"**The rules were that you had to get my feet over the line, not just my head."** Indeed only his head went over the line and his tail coiled around her waist. He lifted her with a jolt and ran towards her line.

"NO!" she clawed at the ground, twisted her body and kicked him in the back, making him drop her. The 'home side' cheered like mad as she got to her feet. She was panting now, sweat beaded on her forehead. But Cetanu didn't even seem fazed! How was this possible? She was putting her all into this fight, and he had yet to show any fatigue. Even her kick to his head didn't seem to have affected him. He threw a punch to her head; she put her hand on his fist and swerved to the side. But his tail coiled around her ankle and yanked it from under her. She reached out with her free hand, as one now held onto his fist for support, and clawed all down his chest. He roared and dropped her. She landed in a heap and pulled herself to her feet. Kantra hammered his gut with an onslaught of punches and screamed with the exhaustion on her body. She was semi taught by her mother, who could never really work very hard due to her condition, and other than that was self taught. This guy was the menace of the universe, the most skilled fighter and had more trophies than you could shack a Naginata at. He knew just how to move, and she was trying her hardest. But he took every hit and laughed at her. She took a step back and panted. Even her side of the arena saw her exhaustion and worried for her. She caught the every odd 'come on Kantra! Come on Kantra' from the audience, but she couldn't hear them properly now. All her remaining senses were focused on the dark worrier as he strode towards her. She threw both fists at him, one eye closed and her limps hurting, screaming in agony at her. And when he back handed her, it sent her to the floor and increased her suffering ten times over. She yelped and arched her back. He grabbed her wrists, but she bit his arm. He growled, but ignored it and pulled her to his feet.

"**You have lost; you can't even stand without help."**

"I…will…not…submit!" she screamed and tried to kick him in the groin. But with her drained energy, and just how tall he was, her foot collided instead with his thigh. It was a good kick considering her condition, but it wasn't enough. He began to drag her backwards and the Cor'ja roared in victory at their leader. "No…no!" she dug her heels in, fright taking over her body now and tears flowing from her eyes. She thrashed in every direction she could still turn and bit down on his arm again hard enough to draw blood. He yowled and glared at her.

"**You lose! Admit defeat!" **

"NO!" she cried and tried to pull away from him.

"**Then forgive me."** he released her and watched as she wobbled uneasy on her feet. He pulled his fist back and Paya screamed.

"NO MY BABY!" his fist came forward and upper cut to her jaw. She didn't even whimper as consciousness slowly began to ebb away from her, making her drop to her knees with only her eyes open. He knelt on one knee and rested his hand on her shoulder.

"**Well done. I was right in choosing you as my mate. You have done well."**

"I…I…" she swayed slightly.

"**Hush, I shall care for you know…my mate."** her eyes fluttered closed and he scooped her into his arms. She wasn't even awake when he placed her over the line. The black sea of Cor'ja roared in victory and pride, as Paya wailed and the blue and pink sea of Yautja wept for Kantra.

Cetanu began to leave the coliseum with her in his arms, in a bridal fashion that he found so fitting. He blew the hair out of her face and nuzzled her neck, ignoring the confused looks from Cor'ja and both house members alike. **"Now fair Kantra, you are mine. Forever. And I will never let you go."**


	8. Chapter 8

_**Chapter 8 **_

The first thing she felt, was the sun on her eyes. Then her pounding headache, then her sore, burning back and she groaned in pain. Her hands clawed at the bed covers and she groaned again…_wait…bed covers? I don't sleep in a bed. _A cool sensation came over her forehead, and she opened her eyes. The walls were a furnished mahogany coloured rough wood, the walls decorated in golden weapons and the drapes were a deep purple. As she sat up, the cool feeling slipped away and onto her hand. As she looked down, she saw a damp cloth in her hands, and she could now feel the cold water dripping on her forehead. She held it back to her head and looked down at the bed. The huge, luxury double bed. _How did I get here? The last thing I remember was…oh no…_

"Nice to see you are awake." Kantra jumped and looked to the intruder, to see the Male who had argued with Guan, Thwei. "I thought you would never wake up. I started to get a little worried…if my Lord thought that I hadn't taken care of you then _boy_ would my head be mounted on his wall in a second. Ouch." He rubbed his throat, and she noticed he was dressed in his full Awu'asa.

"Thwei…?"

"Good, you are feeling better?"

"I erm…" she pulled her knees up to her chest, and gasped. All her armour was missing and so was her body mesh. All she had one was her brown hanging cloth and halter neck boob tube. "Where is my armour?" she winced as her jaw pounded. She held the cool cloth to it and Thwei chuckled.

"His Lordship took it to be cleaned and polished, before hung with his armour in the ship."

"Ship?"

"Oh, the mother ship. You were going to have all your possessions moved there, but so far, you don't really have that much to move do you?" he clattered and shifted in the chair.

"No…why am I here? Why are _you_ here? Did Guan ask you to watch me?"

"No…do you remember exactly what happened before you went out cold?"

"I was fighting with…_him._"

"And you remember he won, right?"

"Yes…I remember." A tear fell from her eye and she held her knees, dropping the cloth.

"Then you should understand, that you have now gained a very, _very_ high rank. You are the second most important member of the Cor'ja clan. Second only to the Lord himself. And so when he had to attend to some clan business, he made sure that you were guarded by someone that you at least met before. I was the closest thing."

"My mother could have protected me…and cared for me a lot better…"

"I know." he shifted. "But at the moment the last thing that he wanted to do was have anyone from the Bath house staff, or your frantic 'mother' to come near you. As no doubt they would try something stupid and perhaps try to help you flee." Kantra whimpered into her knees. The severity of her situation sinking in now. She was his mate, Cetanu's mate. And there was nothing she could do about it…she had promised. Everything was fair and he had won, without breaking the rules. Fair and square. She was his. She had never thought of herself as a possession until this moment. She felt, so small. "He cares about you you know." she looked up, her eyes watery and even making Thwei feel guilt.

"I doubt that…I bet I am a novelty. The only known Ooman to have been brought up as a Yautja. I bet I am more his pet than anything…"

"That is not true." He shuck his head and cocked his head to one side. "He even threatened to skin me if you were harmed in any way. I think…he loves you."

"He doesn't know me. How can he love me?" she whimpered and grabbed the pillow. "Get out."

"I can't do that."

"GET OUT!" she threw the pillow at him and jumped to her sore feet. He stumbled to his feet as she punched him hard in the jaw. He wasn't ready at all and flew backwards. With an old rage rekindled, she pulled a staff from the wall and whacked Thwei over the head. He fell to the floor in a clump, only for her to grab him by the scruff of his neck and throw him outside. She locked the door just in time as he began to beat on the door.

"Open this door!"

"Pauk off!" she barricaded the door with the same chair he had been sitting on and sat on the bed, holding her knees and whimpering into them.

His mate.

She was his mate.

She was the mate of the God of death, Cetanu.

And she was his.

These words continuously whirled around her head until she felt dizzy and faint. She eventually had to actually lay down to stop her head from spinning. And Thwei's constant banging on the door didn't help her growing migraine much.

"I was instructed to watch over you. So let me do my job!"

"…leave me alone…" she pulled the curtains closed, unwilling to see the beautiful morning or fresh sunlight. She didn't feel like even breathing at that moment.

"Look, if he comes back and I'm not in there with you, my head will be on his wall so quickly."

"I don't care! Leave me alone! He can put _my _head on his wall for all I care. Just leave me alone!" Kantra pulled the pillows over her head and wished she could just suffocate. _Maybe, then I might not have to deal with this…_

"My Lord?" she froze, was he talking to him outside the door? She threw herself off the bed and crawled under it. The blanket was long enough to hide her position…as the door creaked open, snapping the chair in two. "My Lord I am sorry. But your mate is strong and she physically threw me out the room. I tried to speak to her, but she would not listen. She."

"**Silence!"** oh yes, that was Cetanu all right. No one else had such a voice that could make your spine chill and your skin crawl. All the hairs on the back of her neck stuck up on end.

Clunk

Clunk

His heavy armoured sandals made a loud noise as he entered the room. She laid on her stomach and held her hands over her mouth, her eyes looking through the tiny gap between the wooden floor and the bed covers. Watching his feet come ever closer to the bed. **"You said she threw you out? When was this?"**

"Only moments ago."

"**Then where is she?"**

"WHAT!" Thwei ran inside, she could see his frantic feet as he looked around for her. "But, But she hasn't come out. She only threw me out less than a few minutes ago! I swear!"

"**Then it is more than likely that she is still here. Leave, I will find her."** The smaller hunter left and she held her breath. She could hear him sniffing at the air.

Clunk

Clunk

He stepped closer to the bed; she was staring at his feet now. **"I know you are in here my little minx. I will find you." **He clattered and she panicked. His feet vanished. What she didn't see, was his tail slithering along the floor behind her silently. **"Why are you hiding Kantra? You are injured, you should be resting."** She wasn't stupid, she wasn't going to answer him and let him know where she was. Wait…he isn't usually this talkative…unless this was…_a distraction!_ But his tail coiled around her ankle and dragged her out from under the bed. She screamed and thrashed her arms and leg around as she hung upside down. **"There you are."** He chuckled and threw her down on the bed. She bounced slightly but grit her teeth at him, as he laid next o her, and leaned over her. He laid on her left, but rested his right hand by her other side. So she was trapped. **"How are you feeling?" **he nuzzled her neck, but she turned away from.

"Don't touch me." She spat, her whole body tense and ready to strike at any moment. While Cetanu was more relaxed than he had ever been. She did that to him, somehow.

"**I am your mate; I have earned the right to touch you."** He chuckled.

"Get away from me you monster!" She pushed at his arm, but he didn't budge.

"**Why are you acting like this?"**

"What did you expect!" Now he sat back and let her go. She jumped to her feet and scowled with all she was worth. "Did you think I would be all 'loved up' or happy to see you?" She ran to the door and tried to get out.

"**It's locked."**

"I noticed!" she looked to the window, and in a moment Cetanu was on his feet and standing in front of it.

"We made a deal. I won our fair fight and you are my mate. You can not just leave."

"Oh yes I can!" she marched up to him and poked him in the gut. "I may be your mate now, but let's get something straight right here." All of his tenderness shattered and his cold, commanding aura returned. His eyes showing it and making her pause. But she didn't let her momentary (or not so momentary) fear stop her. "I am your mate. But there will be no mat_ing_ involved what so ever. There will be no love between us like normal mated couples as this is not normal. You're are not normal and neither am I." He wanted to say 'so why can't we love just like everyone else?' But he didn't. She was on a rampage and he would have his say when she was finished. "Another thing, I do not want to have your guards around me, I don't give a damn if it is protocol or if you _think_ that you need to have me 'protected'. I can do that fine by myself! And I will not be a trophy wife! I will not wear a smile and act like you are the best thing since the Arbitrators because you are not! I don't want this, and I never will. I don't know why I don't just leave!"

"Because you have more honour than that." This statement hit home and was, unfortunately, very true.

"Don't expect anything from me Cetanu; I am not afraid of you. And I will not do what you want, where you want or when you want it. Because I will be damned if I let you use me or treat me like a possession. Or your pet…"she spat, turned on her heel and stopped at the door. "I swear if you don't open this door right now, then I will-" But his large clawed hand came next to her and the door clicked open. She tried to leave, but he held her arm.

"You _are_ my mate Kantra. If you do not return to me, I will come after you. I can promise you this."

"I will be back." She pulled her arm away and he just grabbed it again. "Would you just…" she was looking right into his eyes, those deep red eyes that stirred fear, and something else she didn't quite yet want to acknowledge in her. Something cool slipped into her hand, and she looked down. It was the cool cloth from before.

"You had a fever last night, drink plenty of fluids and take it easy. Get some food, you haven't eaten since the day before…" this single act, had her speechless. She had called him a monster, cowered away from him and screamed in his face, gave him grief and abuse…and he only cared for her well-being. _Only to make sure it doesn't look like he is mistreating me in front of his men…_ she tried to tell herself. But for some reason, the strange feeling she now had, didn't go away. It wouldn't go no matter how hard she wanted it to. He still held her arm, after all this time he still held her arm. He was reluctant to let her go. But he wanted her to trust him, and besides…she wouldn't be _as_ mad with him later if he let her go…

"I." She slowly took her arm back, looking to her feet. "I'm going."

"I will be waiting. Here." He offered her a key. "So you can come back when ever you like." She took it and turned her back to him.

"Don't wait up for me…I may be a while…" she walked off, and knew he didn't close the door.

He had just about forced this 'union' upon her. Kantra hated it and hated him with all her being.

So…

Why did she feel so guilty?

She brushed it off and walked down the stairs. As she walked past Cor'ja members, they all bowed to her and were very respective.

"

_You are the second most important most important member of the Cor'ja clan. Second only to the lord himself."_

She nodded to them and walked down another flight of stairs. She kept going until she reached the community level, she saw her mother pacing back and forth. "Mother?"

"KANTRA!" Paya ran to her and embraced her like she was hanging on to life itself. "Oh my Baby…come. I have arranged a carriage for you. It will take you far away from here. There you can get a ship from-" She tried to pull her towards the stairs.

"Mother…just stop." She raised her hands to cup her mother's face. "I am not going anywhere…I can't."

"But you must my child. I have arranged-."

"No." she hugged her mother, tears falling silently down her face as she rested her head on Paya's shoulder. "I have to stay. I am no coward and…he did win fair and square…"

"Damn your honour Child. You are submitting to him?" Kantra held her mother by her shoulders and looked her sternly in her eyes.

"No mother. I will not submit to anyone. I will never submit to him and never will I give him what he wants other than my title of mate. Don't worry; I am not going to leave you."

"Yes you are." She sobbed and held her daughter close. Kantra looked to D, who was also tearing.

"Why do you all cry?" Dachande sniffled and stepped forward.

"The Cor'ja are leaving to the Minx sector tomorrow morning. And as _he_ is the leader of the clan…he will be taking you with him!" D whimpered and Paya almost crushed her daughter's ribs with a hug. "And I will never see you again!"

"What? No I-"

"Have you forgotten? The conditions of the fight were that you were to be his mate, forever until the end of time. And he will never leave you behind…"

"He even made a speech this morning. He told all his men that you were his mate, that you were now his second in command and if any of them even breathed on you funny, then he would skin them with his own claws…then he announced that they would be leaving to the minx sector first thing tomorrow morning so they were to rest up."

"We have been very busy since then." Vikta walked past with a tray of empty chalices. "The C'ntlip has been going by the barrelfuls." She looked wearily to Kantra as she walked past, pausing as if trying to remember her, before walking down the stairs for more drinks.

"Well Balls to him!" Kantra pulled back and put her hands on her hips. "He can kiss my arse for all I care!" Paya gasped and she heard drunken cheers from the Cor'ja in the community comfy chairs. "I mean it, I am not leaving." She wore a smug grin and took a tray from the side. "I refuse." She then walked past them all and down the stairs. Paya was just shocked and D sniffled.

"I think she is in shock…" Paya worried.

"More like in denial." D sighed and refilled a chalice.

Kantra felt very defiant and didn't care. She was NOT going to be carted off her home world to go to only Cetanu knows where. She walked like a woman on a mission down the stairs…and stopped. She heard snarling inside one of the bath rooms, and looked through the ajar door. She had to hold her mouth shut with one hand to stop her laughing. Guan had been on floor duty again and she had her long pink hanging skirt snagged under the jumbo bath again. She looked like an animal on a line, tied to a pole. She was snarling and pulling in every direction. Kantra was about to walk in and help her, when she saw a certain Hunter walk past her and down the stairs. Thwei.

She tip toed over to him, in need of something good to happen. She knew Guan all too well, way too well. Kantra knew that Guan was in love with this hunter, and if they were going to leave tomorrow…_which I am not going to be with them!_...then Guan would thank her for getting them to at least leave on good terms. Or better…if she was lucky. So she hid her face with her tray and followed him all the way to the welcoming hall, wondering how to address him. _Well you did tell the guy to Pauk off and cause him trouble. He did sound dead scared of Cetanu…yes he is a jerk._ She stopped and saw him stand with two other hunters, clattering over old times or past hunts. _And no I don't like him. But Guan…oh you owe me one Guan. I don't like him; I think he needs a kick up the backside. But…I will do this for you. Let's just see how important I am and if that little death threat had any effect on him heh heh._ If she wasn't too focused on her task, she would have slapped herself for just hoping that something Cetanu did for her worked.

She put her tray on the front desk and walked up to him. Taking her off guard, they all stopped their talking at once, stood straight and bowed their heads forward, one hand behind them and the other over their chest.

"Erm." She cleared her throat, and tapped her foot. "Look at me." she growled. Thwei eventually looked into her eyes, and shivered. There was a plot in those eyes, he saw it. "Thwei, follow me."

"Yes Mistress." She turned, but stopped dead.

"…What did you just call me?" she raised a brow. Her big green eyes narrowed with confusion.

"Mistress."

"Don't call me that." she turned again and Thwei followed.

"I fear I must Mistress."

"Oh, let me guess. Cetanu?"

"His Lordship has instructed that we give you the utmost respect." She walked with him, scowling and arms folded. She led him all the way up to the bath level, stopped just before the room Guan was in and raised a brow.

"You followed me, an Ooman, all this way, and didn't ask why. Why?"

"…You are the High Mistress. It is not my place to question your intent, nor your actions."

"And I suppose the 'High Mistress' was Cet, I mean His lordship's idea, right?"

"Yes Mistress."

"This is going to be confusing, I call my mother Mistress." She rolled her eyes, and smirked towards the room. "You will do anything I say, right?"

"Yes…why…"

"Go in there, quietly, now." He raised a brown eyebrow and looked to the door.

"Very well Mistress." He bowed, and walked inside. When he saw Guan snap her head towards him and gasp, he turned on his heel and tried to leave. But the door locked and he heard Kantra chuckling on the other side of the door. "…she planned this…"

"I was just thinking the same thing." Guan growled and tugged at her hanging cloth again. At this, Thwei saw and clattered into his hand. "Oh Shut up. If I wanted your opinion then I would ask for it, _Sir_." She yanked at it again, and he faced her fully, arms crossed but very amused.

"I didn't give my opinion, I just laughed. I could give you my opinion if you wanted it."

"Well I don't." Guan sat down and brushed her dark veil of dreadlocks behind her. She groaned and tugged at it again. Now she sat on her feet with her knees bent beneath her and clawed at the ground. This was more than embarrassing.

"I could-"

"No. Don't even think about it. I don't want your help." He rolled his eyes and the tension in the air got thicker. Then he looked down at her, and sighed. "What are you doing?" he knelt before her and pushed his hands under the bath. With a grunt he lifted it and she pulled her skirt from under it. He lowered it and got to his feet. He turned to leave. "Wait." He paused and looked over his shoulder.

"Yes?" Guan brushed herself off and wondered what to say. She had so many things to say, but couldn't find the nerve to say any of them. So instead she bowed. He saw this and sighed. He thought she was going to talk to him, at lest. But obviously not. "Then I will leave."

"Yes, you will have to pack your things…" her heart ached. When she thought him to be staying for at least a week, she wanted him to go. But now he was going the next day…she didn't feel as eager to be rid of him just yet.

"I will." But he didn't move. The last time they spoke, both people had shouted and said things that hurt the other's honour. He didn't really want to leave her on that note. He at least wanted to be nice to her, to prove that he wasn't as bad as she first thought he was. And Guan thought he would just leave. She didn't know what to feel. She was loyal to Kantra, and Thwei was loyal to his master. And yet, she was so drawn to him, as he was her. "I am sorry." she was caught off guard by this and looked up from her feet. He turned to face her now and looked a lot softer than before. "I should not have been as harsh to you as I was. I fear my pride got in the way of my manners."

"As did mine." She added so quickly, that he smiled. Perhaps, she didn't hate him after all.

"If we are both sorry, then perhaps we should put it behind us?"

"Yes." She said eagerly, a smile tracing her face. Her beautiful smile melted his façade and he let his arms drop to his sides.

"Guan I."

"Yes?" they both stepped towards each other. Thwei held her hand, and pulled her closer.

"Guan." He whispered.

"Yes?" she said just as quietly, and then neither spoke. They didn't need to. His hands held her shoulders and he brushed his mandibles over hers. The soft whimper he got in return was invigorating and he growled in rhythm with her purr. Guan let her dreadlocks tickle his face as she held his neck, pulling him closer.

"I think I like your friend."

"You do?"

"Yes, she brought me here. She was very colourful towards me earlier, but she is a good person."

"She is. She is like my little sister, but not as annoying as D." he ran on hand up her back and she arched into him slightly. Her hands ran through his mandibles and she melted against him. "The door." She whimpered, and Thwei checked it was locked.

"It's locked."

"Then, please." She moaned and he growled in her ear. She didn't need to say what she was asking for, he already knew. The rise in mutual Musk was enough to say what they both wanted. After all, he would leave tomorrow morning.

Thwei slowly lowered the taller Yautja to the floor, laying between her legs and running his mandibles over her neck. Very quickly her clothes were ripped from her and joined by his. He took her hand and made her feel all down his chest, tracing every scar that embedded his skin. She whimpered as he brought her hand over his hard penis, only growing harder. Already panting, Thwei sucked on her breasts in turn and stroked her hips, rubbing his torso against hers slowly. As if a promise of what was to come. Their mandibles smashed together and Guan had to push her mouth against his shoulder when he thrust into her, to stop herself from screaming. "We, we have to be, quiet." She whimpered,

"It's hard." He growled and thrust into her again, making a pace that drove hem both wild. Her legs clamped around him, tightening around him until he actually had to claw at the floor to stop himself from roaring in ecstasy. His skin alive like never before, he ground her against the wooden floor, nipping at her neck with this tusks. All the while, her fingers roamed through all his hair, massaging his scalp and moaning his name in encouragement. "I (pant) told you, you had (pant) magical hands."

"Ohhh Thwei!" she yelped as he drove into her even harder, and even faster than before. Their mandibles furiously blending into each other once more, Thwei pounded harder and harder, feeling the tingles of paradise starting to catch up with him. He knew he would come soon. And Guan was not that far behind either. In fact, they both threw theirs heads back and arched together spontaneously and stifled their roars in each other's necks. It took a while, but their breathing returned to normal and they pulled their clothes back on. Thwei cupped Guan's face and looked up into her gorgeous eyes.

"Next time, we will have all the time in the world. And no fear of being caught."

"And next time, I will not let you leave." She teared, before they shared a kiss that would have to last a possible life time. "If I ever see you again…"

"No, you _will_ see me. I swear to you that I will come back. Even if I have to become a lone hunter, I will come back to you."

"You promise?"

"I do, with all my heart."

"Thwei!" a voice shouted and they both pulled apart. One day, they would be together, one day. With a heavy heart, they left the room and went their separate ways, a secret vow to one day be mates in their hearts. The promise was not said, but it wasn't needed. One day, Guan knew, one day…

Kantra meanwhile, was in the kitchen.

Mshna, the head of the kitchen, was an old friend of her mother. But he had a foul temper. Usually, she would let this slide…but today was crappy as it was…so his attitude didn't help.

"Look Mshna, I just want the next order and then I will go."

"No can do. You are _better_ then us now, why should someone of _our_ level give you orders?" He muttered and turned his back to her.

She was forced to be someone who she hated's mate.

She was supposedly being carted off to another planet.

She helped her best friend probably jump the bones with the second beigest arsehole in the world.

Who was only second to her 'mate'.

And now Mshna was giving her a world of guilty.

She couldn't take this…

"Look Chuckles, give me the God damn order before I remove your head!" her fists banging on the table, making him jump.

"I think you and your mate are perfect for each other." He sniggered. "Both have the tendency to give death threats, or so I hear."

"Don't compare me to him like that. You both get on my last nerve now give me the DAMN ORDER!"

"Hn." He tossed a tray of food at her, and left. Kantra had to get her temper under control before returning to the community level. She handed the tray to D, who gave it to the Cor'ja. When she finished, she pulled Kantra into a corner.

"Listen, I know this isn't the best of times to talk about this, but."

"But what?" Kantra was now smiling like her old self again. That wouldn't last for long…

"But what are we going to do about the minx galaxy? You will be leaving tomorrow and ignoring it will not make it go away."

"Oh yes is bloody will!"

"You know, I have never heard you swear as much until recently."

"Until recently, I haven't had a reason to swear." She grumbled, looking towards the upper stairs. "And the reason's name is Cetanu…" D chuckled weakly. But a tear fell down her cheek. "Hay, what's the tears for." Kantra pulled her into an embrace, and rubbed her back.

"I, I'm never going to see you again am I?"

"Yes you are. Because I am not going anywhere." She said defiantly. "No matter what his 'lordship' wants. He can kiss my arse." D chuckled again and thought perhaps, Kantra was right. "He can't make me go. So I refuse and that is that."

"He can make you go. He's your mate."

"Well, just you watch when he tries to use that one on me." she smirked evilly. "And watch how I put him in his place."

"But he is the most feared and dangerous Yautja alive! How can you just defy him like he is nothing but a child!"

"Because it is better than the alternative. That's why."

"I know you say you will not be leaving…but just encase you do…promise you will come back to us one day."

"I will not-"

"For Gods sake Kantra please!"

"Alright!" she threw her hands up at her pleading friend. "I promise."

"Thank you." She pulled her close to her and teared slightly. Paya came over and took her hand.

"I believe in light of recent events, you and I should go for a walk." There was a serious undertone to her voice, and she nodded.

ooOoo

Kantra walked alongside her mother in silence all the way out of the bath house and into the woods. "My darling, we must talk. I have brought you here because there is something of great importance we must discuss." Slightly worried, Kantra sat with her mother on the floor, on a large brown cloth. Her mother must have been planning this talk if she had a cloth laid out waiting, in a secluded spot.

"What's wrong?"

"How can you ask that?" but she shrugged it off. "I always knew I would have to have this talk with you one day. Your character and skill would have in the end found you a mate one day I knew…and in a way I was right."

"I don't think I like where this is going." Kantra leaned with her back against a tree, and let her long, blood red hair act as a veil for her face.

"But I must take you down this path so that you are prepared. When you hear the word mate, what exactly do you think that means."

"When two people who are in love come together and join to be together forever. I guess I was wrong…"

"I mean, what do you think the _duty_ of a mate is? And I mean the female." Paya's weary gaze never left her daughter as she continued her state of utter ignorance. _If only…_ she thought.

"To love her mate."

"And?"

"And why are we talking about this?" she folded her arms and scowled. It was just so much simpler before _he_ came. None of this anger, none of this confusion. She was the calm one, she was the controlled one. Now she was livid and out of her comfort zone.

_But you were also unhappy too._ She scowled at her inner voice, and looked to her waiting mother. "What?"

"You are a mated woman." She cooed and sat closer to her, holding her in a motherly embrace. "And…for what ever reason _he_ has taken you as his mate…he will expect things from you. Normal things that are unique to mates."

"Well he can kiss my-"

"I know." she interrupted. "But that is just your way of avoiding the truth." She rubbed her daughter's back and made her look at her. "Ever since you withdrew into yourself, you seemed to be running away from your fears. Until you were nothing but a shivering, hiding mess." Kantra opened her mouth, not looking impressed. "But that wasn't you fault. Then you woke up and I had dearly hoped that you had decided to stop running. But I appeared to be wrong."

"But I faced him! I didn't run away or-"

"Fighting him wasn't facing him. It was a desperate move to try and make him go away."

"But!"

"No buts Kantra. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that if you had won, that you would have been comfortable with him staying here? Isn't that why you made the deal? So that he would leave? Because he scared you and you were desperate?" when Kantra didn't answer, she continued. "You are so strong Kantra, my little worrier. And I have seen you cast your eyes enviously upon the mated couples that have come here. Perhaps…deep down…you may have wanted this…a chance at-"

"For the sake of the Gods mother, don't finish that sentence." Kantra snapped, pulling her knees up with outrage on her face. "How can you say that I want to be _his_ mate? That I could ever _want_ this to happen? Yes, I agree that I have longed for love…but not like this!" she jumped to her feet and tears prickled in her eyes. At first, Paya prepared herself for a rant, an outraged frenzy of accusations.

But that was not what she received. "…He…he is really going to take me away…isn't he…?" she dropped to her knees, her tears flowing at last, finally free with her mother's arms around her to comfort her. Paya held her sobbing child and rubbed the back of her head.

"There there my child. I, I have had words with him this morning…after he returned from his ship." Kantra looked up, still crying but with interest in what she had to say. "He sternly told me that there would be grave consequences if I, or anyone else that was not Cor'ja went anywhere near you. But I did ask him one question." Paya cupped her daughter's face, looking into her deep, trembling green eyes. "I asked him if he would care for you. I said I didn't ask for anything more than for him to care for you. Though I had intended to help you escape, but I asked just encase."

"A, a, and?" she whimpered.

"He gave me his word on his honour, his life vow, that he would ensure you were cared for in the best way that I could ever hope for you. And he bowed and left. I knew then, that if he took you, you would be safe." Paya was now tearing and Kantra had yet to stop. "But my darling baby girl. What will happen to you? Up in space when you have never left this planet, our home, for a dangerous world of bad bloods, vicious creatures and perils that I have never had the chance, nor the ability to prepare you for?" Paya pulled her into an embrace that seemed as if she let go, she would slip away forever. "How will I be able to look up at the sky and not think of you, hurt, alone and with no hope?" Kantra knelt up and brushed her mother's aged dreads from her face.

"Because I promise you that nothing, _nothing_, will ever hurt me. I am a strong hunter thanks to you, a strong person thanks to you. I assume that Cetanu will not want his mate harmed and I will have his protection, but I will be safe none the less."

"Can you truly promise me this?" Kantra looked deeply into her mothers eyes, and smiled.

"Yes, yes I can."

"Then I am only half at peace." He raised a brow, so Paya sighed and explained. "You can promise me until the heavens tear and my blood runs Hard meat, but you can not promise me that you will not suffer harm…to your heart…" they were silent. Both sets of eyes were glistening with tears. "…can you promise me you will not harm your heart?"

"No…I can't." Paya gasped and pulled her close again. "But…how would I hurt my heart?"

"Cetanu." Was all she said. She had obviously struggled to form the name and force the sound from her mandibles. But she succeeded. Even with the trembling of her voice. "He can break your heart and your soul."

"I." she sniffed and tipped her mother's head to face her again. "I could…ask him…he expects me to go back to him tonight…"

"Then ask him. When you leave, you can at least rest my weary, sorrowful heart knowing that you are truly safe, and loved."

"I will never be loved mother…" but what Kantra didn't know, is that Paya had been told that she would be loved. But she had been sworn keep that fact from her daughter on her honour.

"Come." She stood up and pulled her daughter with her. "The day grows restless as will your…mate." she forced. "I want you to have a good night's rest before you leave."

"I promise I will come back one day. I promised Dachande and now I promise you. I promise all of you." Kantra leaned into her mother's arms as she walked her back to the bath house. They stopped at the main door, and Paya held her hands.

"I love you my darling daughter. Never once have I regretted the day when I found you on that Ooman Dillon ship. I have never been more proud of you. And I always will be proud of you."

"I love you too mommy!" Kantra teared into her neck, and Paya knew that she was no longer in a state of shock, or denial.

ooOoo

The entire scene played out before her in her mind. Her and her mother hugging for what seemed eternity, going their separate ways and her climbing those stairs. She never thought they were so big until she had to climb them then. Every step she took gave her a sense of foreboding dread, fear licked at her core and panic fluttered in her stomach. As she looked at that door, _the_ door, she just couldn't do it. She leaned against the wall, just looking at it. Then she saw the moonlight softly making a slivery ray on her form, and looked up.

The roof.

Her sanctuary.

That is where she was now, the roof. Her legs were sprawled over the edge, her brilliant emerald eyes fixated into a trance with the full moon, and her red hair shining in its magnificent fluorescence.

No wonder he found her intoxicating, when she looked like a spirit of the night paying worship to the moon like that. He had no problem in watching her from the skylight. She looked so pure, even in her plain brown hanging cloth, boots and boob tube.

"Are you going to say something, or reminisce into the stars with me?"

"You didn't come back like you promised." He said, albeit softly as he made his way to her. His mighty tail swaying fluidly behind him as he joined her. He frowned as he saw her flinch from his over towering presence, but watched her none the less.

"I had some things I needed to sort out." He raised a brow, but his silence made her know he questioned what. "With me, I mean." She looked out the corner of her eye, and saw him shuffle closer to her. He looked very uncomfortable. If she didn't know better, she would have guessed he was nervous. Or dreading something.

"I have something I must tell you." He said rather bluntly.

"If you are about to tell me of your _abduction _plans for me tomorrow, I already know." he cringed at how she had stressed the method of travel, but he tried to ignore it. For now.

"Then I will not talk about it further. We will be leaving early tomorrow for the Minx Galaxy and you possessions have been transported to the mother ship."

"Will I go there too?" she said, almost as if she wasn't there, aloof, but voicing her deepest thoughts. "With all your other possessions?"

"You are not a possession." He said slightly more sternly than he had intended. And he noticed her flinch. "You are my mate, not a trophy." But she didn't respond to him. She didn't even look at him. If she had, she would have seen that he had taken his mask off, specially for her. He still remembered the way she had asked for him to remove it, and how she had traced his face with her soft, elegantly smooth finger tips. "It is late. We should-"

"Will you break my heart?" the question came from nowhere and he thought he might have been hearing things. When she didn't continue, he thought he had. But when he rose to his feet, she turned and looked deep into his eyes. From her red face and her glistening eyes, he could tell she had been crying. "Will you break my heart?" she sobbed this time, and he pulled her to her feet too quickly to be casual.

"No." and he said nothing more, lingering in holding her wrists. Until she pulled them away.

"Then I have nothing more to say." She thought that he simply wanted to shut her up, but he couldn't possibly explain other than saying 'no'. There were just no words to explain why he felt this way, or why that should matter to her.

Kantra pulled the skylight open and jumped down. When she heard a thud behind her, she knew he was there. She found the door to 'their' room was open, so she walked straight in. she waited as he locked the door and laid on one side of the bed, waiting for her. _Oh, no way._ She almost adolescently stormed over to the comfy chair and curled up in it. But as soon as she closed her eyes, she felt that annoyingly familiar feel of that skeletal tail, coil itself around her waist and lift her gently into the air. "What!" she spat, folding her arms as she was lowered to kneel on the bed.

"Do not be ridiculous." He simply spat, hooked his arms around her waist and spooned her against him. Cetanu was so big, and his arms were so muscular, that she hadn't a hope in hell of moving him. Even when he fell asleep she boiled, knowing he had her and she couldn't do anything about it. She felt his rumbling breathing as it vibrated through his rising and falling chest, and through her back. It was actually quite soothing…until she pinched herself. There was no way she was going to let herself become accustomed to _this_! First thing tomorrow, she would let him know that she would NOT be man handled like a rag doll. It was a few hours before she found her eyes slowly drooping closed.

_Well…at least he doesn't snore…_


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_Oooohhhhh where am I?_ Kantra rubbed her head, and froze upon opened her eyes. She expected to have to close them again from the sunlight, but there was none. When she opened her eyes, she was greeted with pitch darkness. But the darkness didn't affect her sense of smell, hearing or touch.

She sniffed. She couldn't smell the rising smoke from the boiler, the fragrance or perfume or the scent of cooking food.

She listened. She couldn't heard the chirps of the early birds, the pattering of busy feet on rough wood flooring, or the sound of anyone, anywhere.

She felt around her. She was laid on something so soft, it made her body sink into it and feel bliss foreign to her hammock. Or the bed she had fallen asleep in…

Which meant she wasn't in the bath house anymore.

"THAT BASTARD!" She screamed and clawed forward, out of the bed. She didn't know what side; she didn't know whether she would meet wall or floor. And she couldn't care less. As soon as she found the edge of the bed, she fell and crumpled up on the floor. She banged her head, adding to her newly remembered headache and causing her to moan. But as soon as her feet touched the floor, lights blinded her from every direction. Her eyes snapped shut like they should have upon awakening, and she waited for them to adjust. When Kantra could look around again, she whimpered.

The floor was a cool, black and red marble floor.

The bed she had stumbled out of had a dark, almost black mahogany wood, gigantic sized four poster bed with silk black covers, drapes and pillows.

There was a large door on her left, the right and one in the centre. On was ajar and obviously the bathroom. That was on the left. The one in the middle was closed, and the one on the right had a large control panel. So it was obviously the door to leave the room.

The walls were a shinning red with inscriptions and beautiful carvings of the hunt in them, which seemed to dance in the light.

The ceiling matched the walls with a large carving of a mighty God, holding the skull of his pray.

The God, was the God of death, Cetanu.

So she knew whose room she was in.

Hot tears welled in her eyes, and she collapsed to her knees.

_That bastard._ She whimpered and dug her hands into her own red hair. _That bastard!_

He had picked her up and taken her in her sleep.

He didn't even give her the chance to say goodbye.

"THAT BASTARD!" she screamed again and panted, livid. _How dare he take me like this! He said I wasn't a possession! Well he is treating me like one! He plucked me from my home while I was sleeping and kidnapped me! I hate him! I hate him I hate him I hate him!_

She shrieked and pounded her fists on the floor. "…I didn't even get a chance to say goodbye." She heard a swish from her right, shuffling, and soon saw a pair of bare feet in front of her. "If that is you Cetanu, I am going to kill you."

"Ouch. I take it you have had a lovers tiff already huh? I had one of those after my first week." Looking like a pitiful mess, Kantra sat up as she sat on her feet, and looked up at the stranger.

This female Yautja had long brown Dreadlocks, wore long black oriental robes and held a large silver tray in her hands.

"Who?" she sniffled and the large female knelt like a mirror image next to her. She smiled through her mandibles, and looked to be the same height as her.

"I'm H'chak. I'll be looking after you now."

ooOoo

The first thing H'chak did, was put her tray down and help Kantra up onto the bed. "Here dear, I have some food and some water for you." She stroked her back as she forced her trembling hands to hold the chalice. "There there, drink up now."

"Thank you…" she drank steadily, parching her dry mouth.

"Oh, don't mention it. I am here to look after you, I don't need thanks." She chuckled. This female had a motherly complex to her, like Paya, but the youthful spirit of Guan and Dachande. "So, I have yet to know your name Mistress?"

"Oh, please don't call me that." she whimpered, tears falling once more. That title only aided to the memory of her mother.

"Now come on. Enough tears. How will his lordship feel if he returns to a sorrowful mate?" she smiled, but was greeted with a deathly scowl.

"I don't care! He can feel distraught for all I care about him…then maybe he might understand what he did to me." she whimpered again and chocked on her water slightly.

"Now surely you don't mean that. As I said, this is probably just a lovers tiff and-"

"He is NOT my lover!" she spat quickly, and saw the shocked look on her face. "…I'm sorry…I didn't mean to shout at you."

"That is alright…but what do you mean not your lover? Are you not mates?"

"Well yes but-" they were both silenced as the door swished open…and _he_ appeared there.

"My Lord!" H'chak jumped from the bed and dropped to her knees, bowing her head over. "It is so good to see you." He grunted and looked to the only thing that he actually cared about.

Kantra.

But she gave him such a look of disgust, that he had to look away.

_Ha, good. Feel like that Cetanu. Because you haven't felt noting yet!_

"Leave." He ordered.

"Yes my Lord. Mistress." She quickly left and Kantra stood up. Wobbling and holding her head as she suddenly felt dizzy. He saw this and rushed forward, grabbing her arms and steadying her. "Are you injured?"

"Let me think?" she spat, yanking her arms back. "I don't remember much. You see, I was punched in the face and other places a few times in the last few days, and I think I might have gotten brain damage. You see, I can't remember leaving the bath house this morning." He braced himself. "Oh that's right, I DIDN'T!" Kantra screamed and slammed the chalice down. "I hate you so much for that." she sniffled and tears flowed once more. "You have taken so much from me already and now you have taken the only chance I had to say goodbye to my family." She seethed, clenching her fists and looking right into his masked face. But he stood perfectly still. Had he even heard her? She shouted pretty loud enough. Then, he reached to the side and lifted something from the table. She didn't know what as she was still looking defiantly into his face. He then lifted her hands, and placed something in them. After a moment, she looked down and saw a plate of food.

"You need to eat. You didn't yesterday."

And that was it.

He turned, slipped his shoes on, pulled his cape around him and left her.

_He didn't even listen to me did he? THAT PAUK-DE! _

Kantra screamed again, and contemplated throwing the plate of food at the wall…until her stomach roared.

Great, she was trapped, stranded, hurting, forced into a loveless contract, _and_ hungry.

"Ok, I'll eat now but I am not having his food again." the bread and hot, cooked meat went down very quickly with a few 'bastard's and a few more 'arsehole's. When he was finished, she eyed the bathroom door. "Well the least he can do is let me have a shower." She muttered to herself and walked past the door. "Oh my Gods!" the floor and walls were like the bedroom, but a dark mix of blue and black. "Then man likes his black." She thought, and remembered that he was black. Ok, coincidence?

There was a large black tub that made the bath house tubs look like old buckets, and was bigger than what they had. It could have been a swimming pool. She was so tempted to use it, but thought against it.

The last thing she wanted was for him to come back and see her in the bath.

_Not that he hasn't seen me in the bath before…_ she scowled and looked to the shower. Yes, the shower was a better option. She assumed there was a shower in here. Kantra looked around, and gaped again. The bath tub was on the right with the large sink, and to the left was a walk in shower. And there were shower heads pointing in every possible direction. Why was everything he owned to huge? _Because he is huge, der!_ She stripped off and stepped into the shower. Water, as freezing as ice gushed out at every direction and she felt like it pierced at her skin. She screamed and punched the off button.

"F F Flipping heck!" she clattered her teeth and changed the temperature. "No wonder that guy is a bastard all the time. He has a cold shower every day." She flinched only at first when the warm water soothed over her skin. She then had an evil thought. "I will leave it like this, just to spite him I think." she chuckled and washed her body.

She emerged feeling all the physical pain removed and quelled. Soon, she dried her hair with a towel, and froze. She didn't have any clothes to wear now. Her old clothes had gone missing… "Damn!" she entered the bedroom again, and searched madly for her clothes. "Drat, gone. Now what?" she sighed and saw something on the chair. It was a long black robe. His robe. "Well, I haven't got anything else to wear…so…I guess it will have to do." It was black and silk, with a large fiery red symbol on the back. The Cor'ja symbol. She tied it across the front, and made sure to tuck herself in. the sleeves came down to her mid shins, and the robes pooled around her feet. She sighed and remembered that he was 9 feet tall, so obviously his clothes would be made for a 9 foot tall person. "Well, time to get myself some clothes. I will be _damned_ if I have to wear nothing but this when he comes back." She was relieved when she pushed against the door, and it swished open. Kantra peered outside, and down the halls. The walls were red, with carvings in the walls and golden glitter. _Very fancy…this must be a rich clan._ She stepped outside, and yelped. Someone grabbed her shoulders and shoved her back inside. She glared towards whoever held her against the wall next to the door, only to see H'chak.

"Mistress, you mustn't leave without his Lordship's allocated guards."

"you mean…I need guards…on his own ship!" she growled and pulled away from her. "I think I can take care of myself."

"But you shouldn't leave…like that." She blushed and looked away from her mistress. "I mean, some of the men are not mated yet. And all of the men saw how skilled you were in the battle with his lordship…and…they also heard your screaming this morning and calling him those horrid names." She looked to her feet, frowning. As if she did something wrong. "I can only hope you can apologise to him soon."

"Ok, firstly I will not apologise to him, after he _kidnapped _me, and secondly…what do you mean about 'the men'? I am an Ooman, surely they wouldn't-"

"As I said before my lady." She chuckled weakly. "They all saw your fight with his lordship. And yes, you didn't win…but you came very, _very_, close to winning. Closer than any of them could _dream_ of getting. So you are very lucky that you are now mated to his lordship, or you would have been hounded down by many a hunter by now."

"One, I am mated to him only in title, nothing more. Like I said before, I am _not_ Cetanu's lover." She said sternly, and rolled her eyes when H'chak flinched. "And two…" she blushed and stepped forward. "I didn't make _that_ big an impression, did I?"

"Oh yes, even _my_ mate was impressed. Just not in the same way as the unmated hunters." She chuckled, as if this was some sort of compliment. But Kantra sank onto the bed, and ran her hands through her blood red hair.

"I haven't got any clothes H'chak. They have vanished."

"Probably from the maids."

"Yes, but I don't have any other clothes."

"Well…_I_ could help you out there…but…" she put her hands behind her back, as if she was about to ask something dreadful.

"But what?"

"But I am also forbidden to take you from your quarters. You would need a guard."

"But I don't know anyone, I don't _have_ a guard."

"Yes you do, I thought he watched over you while on the home world? After the battle?"

"Oh no…" she whimpered a whine and pouted. "I think I know who you mean…"

"Well, if you were to tell me the name of your guard, I could ask him to come for you." She chirped, happy to have a female friend at last.

"…Thwei…" she groaned and growled as she jumped to her feet. "If I were to need him, where would he be?"

"On the bridge. Thwei happens to be one of the ship's main weapons experts on the control deck." She turned to leave, but saw a blur of black pass her. "Mistress! Come back!" but Kantra had already run out the room, and turned towards the bridge. Her mother had taught her to read, so she just had to follow the sighs. One thing that made her walk faster, was the purrs and scents of different musks as she passed Cor'ja hunters socialising in the halls. _I guess H'chak wasn't kidding…_ She finally (20 minutes of hell later) found the bridge, and stepped on. She scanned the area, and saw so many lights and screen panels she thought she was on an arbitrator ship. Then she saw about 20 or more male Yautja heads turn in her direction, and she gulped.

"C C Cetanu?" she stuttered, and saw someone stand up from the main chair. 9 feet tall, chaos black skin, armour and long dreadlocks, and a demonic black mask. Oh yeah, that was Cetanu alright.

"Kantra, what are you doing here?" he then looked at what she was wearing, and quickly walked towards her. He didn't like the rise in musk he smelt, and pulled his cape off. He draped it over her shoulders, and she held it tightly around herself. "And why are you dressed so scarcely?" he chuckled to her, but she scowled and stepped away from him.

"I am dressed 'so scarcely' because the maids took away my clothes, I think. I had a shower, and then came back to find no clothes. And I need clothes Cetanu." The men all thought she was very skilled from the fight they witnessed, and very, very brave to address their lord by his first name. Not even the elders or the arbitrators could do that. "I am not going around your ship wearing nothing but a robe." H'chak scrambled in after her, out of breath from running, and bowed immediately to Cetanu.

"My lord, I tried to keep her in your room but she slipped by me."

"I want you to measure my mate for a wardrobe of fine clothes."

"Oh no you don't." there was silence. No one had ever contradicted, or cut off Cetanu. But he didn't seem to mind. He simply folded his arms and look down on her, amused. Kantra was pouting and pointed a finger at him, even though the sleeve covered it and drooped over from its over length. "I will not be wearing 'fine clothes' as you put it. I want to wear simple, practical clothes that I can actually move and breathe in. Like the other females. Like H'chak." Her kimono was replaced with a hanging cloth and fur top by this point. After a moment or two, Cetanu looked to a very nervous H'chak, and nodded.

"Do as my mate wishes. She must dress like the other huntresses." H'chak nodded, and ran off to do her orders. Kantra frowned to herself however.

"…I just _wish_ I was a huntress…"

"What did you just say?" he couldn't believe his ears. "You are not a huntress? You have been on no Chiva?" he lowered his arms. "I thought you said your mother trained you, and then you trained yourself?"

"That is true. But I also told you I have never been off the planet. So I have never been to a Chiva designated planet for the test. So I have not gained the right to the hunt." She sighed. "My mother has a condition which means if she over works herself, or works hard at all, her blood will clot and she will die. So she couldn't train me well enough for me to apply to go on a Chiva anyway…besides…" She hung her head slightly and looked to the side. "…I'm just an Ooman. I might have been mistaken for the pray."

"You are my second." He crossed his arms, and stated like he was reciting some law to her. "As my second, you are required to take lead of the clan in my absence. If you do not have the right to the hunt, you will not be able to command my men."

"Command?" she blinked up at him. "What do you mean?" he then chuckled and tilted his head to one side.

"I didn't bring you here to be a possession or a, how did you say, a 'trophy' or a 'trophy wife'. I brought you here to be my mate, and as such, you have duties." There were sniggers at that, until Kantra death glared all of them into submission. "You are also the second in command, and benefactor of all you see. This ship, the clan, my trophies, everything now belongs to you, as we are equal." She couldn't believe this. She thought he just wanted her to be his mate, now he was telling her she was some sort of general in his army, and vice leader of the Cor'ja clan! "But if you are not yet a huntress by right…" he held his chin, and thought as he looked to her. "Then I will have to train your myself, and take you on a Chiva." He nodded, and looked to Thwei. He had edged his way towards them since she first walked in. "You will act as her protector while I am absent, understand?"

"Yes my lord." He bowed, and stood to attention by Kantra's side.

"…I thought…" she looked up at him, unsure what to think.

"I remember once making a promise to you." He bowed his head to her, as Thwei pulled her into the doorway. "I said, I will take you on many hunts. You _will_ bring your family much honour and you _will_ attain many trophies. Of your own."

"…but…" Thwei dragged her out of sight, and all the way to her room. "Hey! Let go!" she pushed him off her, and scowled as she sat on the bed. _This was not what I had planed for. I was supposed to be super bitch and make him regret making me come here, until he takes me home…but…_ she frowned. _He just handed over to me more power than any other worrier on this ship. He said I was equal to him…and…he is going to make me a huntress. Like I always wanted…_ she didn't see H'chak walk in, and lay some pre measured clothes for her. Or when she left, to make more for her. "Thwei…"

"Yes my lady."

"Can you please leave?" she said, her eyes closed. "I…I need to be alone for a while…to think."

"Very well Mistress." He bowed, and was about to walk out when. "I wish to say thank you." She looked up, to see his back in the doorway. He held the door frames, and sighed. "I know it was you who arranged for both Guan and myself to be in that room together, one last time. And…I thank you."

"If you hurt her, I will kill you." She chuckled, but meant it. And it showed.

"I would never hurt her…and I will never see her again…" he hung his head and left.

"Wait! Come back! What did you mean by that!" she yelled after him, but he was gone. "Oh that is it!" she huffed with her hands in the air, and scowled. "When Cetanu comes home, I am going to give him a damn piece of my mind. I want answers, and I want them now. And I want to know why…why is he being like this." She sniffled into her hands. "It…it is hard to be horrid to him when he is so…so." She didn't want to end that sentence, and chose not to. Instead, she got up and started to practise with a Naginata to clear her mind. It wasn't her double headed mace staff, but it was close enough.

About an hour later H'chak came in with a fresh pile of clothes. "Thank you H'chak."

"You are welcome my Lady."

"Please just call me Kantra." She frowned and lowered the bladed weapon to her side. Being called by those titles just reminded her of home, and her mother…

"I dare not! His Lordship would surely-"

"Do nothing to stop you from calling me by my name." Kantra insisted. "If he has a problem with it, let him take it up with me."

"How do you do it?"

"huh?" she was caught of guard by this question.

"How do you have such a hold over him. You seem to control his every action." H'chak put the clothes on the bed, and turned to her.

"I…have a hold on him?"

"Did you not see how you interrupted him, and he instantly changed his mind?"

"…yeah…that was the point." _That way, I will irritate him._

"My Lady." She shuck her head. "You do not see it, do you?"

"See what?" she blinked with confusion. "I don't understand."

"And it is not my place to say." She smiled and held something up from the pile. "Now let's see how this looks, shall we my Lady?"

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cetanu had been taking his time, going over every duty and protocol thoroughly. That was, until there was nothing else to do. And he had to leave then, or his men would suspect he was afraid of going back to his own mate.

Which in all truth, he was.

Surely it was a miracle she didn't address what she had so often referred to as a 'kidnapping' on the bridge. At one point it looked like she was going to, but luckily for him, Thwei dragged her off. He was just grateful he smelt sex on Thwei when they entered the ship to leave, and the same smell on one of the 'staff' at the bath house. Or he would have probably taken a bite out of him for touching his mate so aggressively.

But now was not the time for being protective of such a fiery tempest like Kantra. She could handle herself in such situations.

He should know.

Now, he thought of how he was going to prepare himself for the next onslaught he was probably going to receive from the first step inside his _own_ room. All the other times it had hurt so much, he tried to leave whenever possible. That was probably why he took her the way he did in the first place, so she wouldn't be able to protest.

_Flash back._

The darkness of night enveloped the guest house, and all were sleeping.

No, not all.

As the Cor'ja moved swiftly in cloaked states out of the large complex, and into the open back garden. Jafna had relayed his orders to all the men, who were fully equipped of their belongings and all stood outside. As the Elder loomed over head in the silent, sightless war bird sized mother ship, Cetanu stood on the roof. He watched on as all his men were in their appointed groups teleported up onto the mighty vessel with a flash of blue light. As he watched, his most precious cargo stirred in his arms. Instantly Cetanu looked down from his observations and into the angelic face of his truest treasure.

Kantra was curled up in his arms, wrapped in his imperial Cor'ja leader's cape, shielding her from the harsh cold of the night air. His mask was on her stomach as he held her in a bridal fashion, and he lowered his face to hers. Cetanu took a deep breath of her blood red hair, and tenderly traced his mandibles over her forehead. It warmed his head when her screwed up face melted against him, and a soft whimper of comfort escaped her lips. For a while he simply gazed down at her with his hell fire red eyes, flickering a benevolent kindness down at the fragile creature in his arms.

It was then he made a promise into the wind, a secret to forever rustle the leaves of the trees of their home world. And _her_ home. He would love her with every fibre in his being, he would give her everything he had, and everything he didn't. everything would be hers, and he would fight for her to have everything she deserved. Because for her to have melted the heart of such a cruel, wicked creature with a tortured mind and dark past such as himself, had to be an angel.

In his arms, was a miracle.

She was his salvation.

She was his true trophy, that he would forever cherish.

She was his future.

She was his Mate, heart, soul and eternity of bliss.

She would see that one day.

She was just like him…in many ways.

Kantra was a miracle, in more ways that one. Not only was she an Ooman with the spirit of a true Yautja, and the honour of a pure worrier…

…but she was the single most influential being in the universe. As no Arbitrator, Elder, army, Nest of Queens, fleet of weapon armed Oomans, no one had more power in this universe than Kantra did right now. As no one but Kantra could bend his will.

He was a demon, and she was an angel.

Her name…Kantra…means Prayer. But that is only part right. She is not just the prayer, but the _answer_ to _his_ prayers.

She was perfect.

He didn't care she didn't have mandibles.

And he certainly didn't care that she wasn't tall and had the same skin as his kind.

Not that he actually _had_ a kind. He was unique.

Well…not quite unique…but that didn't matter. All that mattered was the sleeping goddess in his arms.

If he was the god of death, let Kantra be his goddess, his goddess of life. If he is dark, let her be his light. If he is truly a monster, let her be the one pure deity to clam his raging spirit. Kantra was a siren, a pure siren who had enchanted him into those ragged rocks and he was more than shipwrecked on the shores of her oceanic emerald eyes. He was enchanted, yes. He was under her spell, and yet he had no problem with that.

If only she could see the spell she had over him, the nature of his need for her. He went out of his way for her, proved himself for her, _fought _for her.

And yet she remains defiant and oblivious to his emotions. True, he is not well versed in expressing his emotions, so getting his affections across sometimes gets lost in translation for other intentions.

Bit he would never give in. he would never give up on her or ever, ever relent in his courting of her heart. She was his mate now, but only technically. His next task was to woo her behind the closed doors of their quarters. He needed to earn her love.

Love, such a wonderful thing. And it was all he wanted from her. As he would always gladly give it back. Even if she didn't give her love in the first place, he would forever love her. He already did.

Cetanu looked up to see the ship over him, ready to collect their leader and his new mate. He took a deep breath, and was gone from the home world in an instant, before he was directly transported to his personal quarters.

As he laid her down on their bed, he sighed with foreboding dread. He knew she would hate him for taking her in her sleep, but he had to. She would see why when he talked to her.

Yes, he would talk to her, be patient with her. Like he would no other.

But for now, he would take great joy in simply holding her as she slept, with no lashing words or hateful glances. Now, he can dream of her tender touch and warm words of mutual tenderness. Now, he could dream. Now…he could sleep.

_End flash back_

As he stared at his door, he raised his head. _Time to face my fears Kantra. Time for us to start our new life, from this moment, I will__show you just what you are to me. I will show you just how much you mean to me. Even if you hate me for it…_

A swish of the door, and he walked inside…


	10. Chapter 10

AN: this is quite short for me, but I needed to end it here. I will update soon though!

Enjoy!

The first thing Cetanu saw as he walked inside, was H'chak's back.

"What are you doing here?"

"My Lord!" H'chak fell to her knees and bowed low to him. In doing so, she revealed Kantra in all her glory. She had knee high leather brown boots, a leather brown hanging cloth that came down to her mid shin, nothing covering her legs, stomach, arms or back. She wore a brown leather halter-neck top that pushed her large breasts together. Her cleavage was amazing to his eyes, and he was glad he was still wearing his mask. He saw she wore brown leather gauntlets with bronze lining the rims and making a vine pattern on them. As she folded her arms, he looked up to her face.

_Oh no…she looks very displeased. But this was to be expected._

"Hello Cetanu. Can you please let poor H'chak get up now? I tell her not to bow, but she doesn't listen."

"She knows her place." He walked forward and stood before her. He looked down on her from the 2 or 3 foot he had over her height, and looked to the side. At H'chak. "You may leave now."

"Yes my lord."

"I only wanted you to let her get up, not leave."

"She is to leave. We must talk."

"Yeah, actually." She leaned on one hip, looking like she was ready to rant at him again. "We do."

"My Lord. My Lady."

"I told you to call me Kantra…" she called after her, but H'chak was gone. "See, you told her and everyone else to call me that, and now they wont call me by my name."

"I have 'everyone's respect and obedience."

"No you don't." she raised a brow and looked defiant. "I don't obey you."

"You are my second. You are entitled to your opinion and input." Kantra pursed her lips together and thought hard. _Damn he has an answer for everything._

"But I don't follow orders."

"I haven't given you any orders to follow." He waved his hand a the door, and it locked. "I must say, I prefer your clothing now to before."

"Oh I bet you do." She rolled her eyes.

"I was not just referring to when you wore my robe. I also meant your slave clothes too."

"For your information I was not a slave. And I liked my clothes!" she shouted at his fleeting form, as he went into the bathroom. "I am talking to you! Don't walk away from me!"

"You are welcome to join me if you wish." He looked over his shoulder at her, and saw her face was already red. "Or is seeing me unclothed once enough for you this week?"

"OOOOO I should just!" she struggled with herself, and turned her back to her. "I will NOT be joining you in there."

"Very well. Though you are welcome to change our mind."

"No thanks!" she practically squeaked, and leaned her shoulder against the door frame to the bathroom. She hadn't finished with him after all. "And I haven't finished with you just yet."

"Do go on." He removed his Armour as she continued.

"I will thank you very much. And like I was saying before, I want answers."

"I can give you no answers until you have asked the right questions."

"Stop treating this like a joke!" she almost span round.

"Very well." He still clicked slightly.

"Right. Now you are not my favourite person right now.

"I am shaking in my Awu'asa." She was about to grab something sharp and throw it at him. He was doing this on purpose!

"Look here! Why did you kidnap me!"

"I did no such thing." He said calmly, and pulled his belt and hanging cloth off.

"You did! I wouldn't be here if you hadn't!" her hands were by her sides, straight, ridged and clenched.

"I did not kidnap you." He said again, and tip toed up behind her.

"You SO did! I never agreed to-" then her head was covered with brow cloth, and you could almost see the steam coming from her ears.

"Hold onto that for me will you?" he clattered and quickly walked into the showers. He thought this might be his new way to handling her when she is in a mood. Play with her. He had never been one for 'playing'. That was something all the other Young blood did. But he wasn't like all the other young bloods, and they didn't really accept him as anything but their better in battle. So this was a new for him.

"I will not!" she pulled it from her head, and looked down. "Oh, that is just. I can't say what it is." She seethed and threw her hanging cloth down on the floor. "AND DON'T WALK AWAY FROM ME WHEN I'M TALKING TO YOU!" she couldn't see him anywhere, so she walked right inside. She looked to the shower wall.

Not there.

she looked to the bath.

Not there.

"Where are you…?" just then, she heard a gush of wind and he jumped down from the ceiling. Right behind her.

"I am here Kantra." He chuckled. She had span round on instinct, and regretted it. Cetanu was stood before her for the second time that week, completely naked. Didn't he care he wasn't wearing anything? And what made it worse was that her eyes looked down against her wishes at his groin. Cetanu saw this and smirked. His mask was in his hand, and he moved it so the mask covered her eyesight of his groin. "I thought you didn't want to see me unclothed again? Was I wrong?"

"NO!" she shouted, never more embarrassed in her life and ran for the bedroom. She then slammed the door shut and leaned against the bed post. _I can NOT believe he just did that! He caught me off guard and made me look at his…huge…thick…oh my gods I am not thinking about this! _ Kantra shuck her head from side to side, and tried to clear her mind of all thoughts of her mate naked. That was very hard.

She soon heard the water run from the showers and smirked.

There was a soft growl in the background, and she chuckled. "Are you alright there Cetanu? Not too warm for you is it?" she smirked evilly, feeling the pleasure of revenge for his little bathroom 'stunt'. When the door opened however, she gulped. He was stood with a towel around his hips loosely, and his arms folded. His hell fire red eyes froze her to the spot, as he stalked towards her. His hands were soon on her shoulders, pinning her to the bed post, and he learned down at her. She trembled, that was until he clattered loudly.

"I haven't had a hot shower in many years. I am not used to this change. Was it you who made it hot?"

"Yes it was. I have always wondered why you are so cold. I thought maybe it was because of your showers." She smirked coldly, and he pulled back, hurt by her words. He turned his back to her, and left behind the thought that the shower trick was a joke. He grabbed some robes and went back into the bathroom, but just before the door closed, her looked to her again.

"When have I ever been cold to you Kantra?" immediately her mouth opened to respond…but no answer came.

None, not one. Kantra closed her mouth and eyes to think hard. One time, just one is all she would need.

But there was none, he had never in all the time she knew him, been cold to her. Curious yes, cautious true, but cold? Never. When he hurt her he was angry at what _she_ had said to him. So he wasn't cold. And he _did_ apologise for that too. Even thought she started it. Kantra couldn't believe she couldn't think of one time he had been cold or cruel to her. But she couldn't. "I didn't think so." By the time Kantra look up, he had closed the door shut, and was gone from view. He sounded so…hurt. It was strange seeing Cetanu hurt, but she had never seen him playful either. His kind didn't seem like the ones to even feel anything. So why did she get that stabbing feeling in her chest again when he spoke so downtrodden to her? Why did she regret her actions?

Why did she feel…guilty?

"He kidnapped me. No remorse, no regrets." She nodded, but her heart wasn't in it.

Kantra sat on the bed, and became aware of her hunger when her stomach growled loudly. "Oh, it has been long since I have eaten…"

"I have arranged for food and drink to be brought to our room. It should be here soon." She turned to see him stood in a long black silk robe, tied with a belt. It was very much like the one she wore, but had no markings on it. He sat in the chair near the desk and mirror, and she frowned. _He's wearing his mask again._

"I…" her mouth opened and shut like a gold fish, and in the end she gave up and looked to her lap. "I was shocked this morning when I had a cold shower."

"I didn't think to change it. I apologise."

"You do that a lot to me…" she held her arms and looked away. "I was shocked on the bridge too. I found out that the entire clan had seen us fighting, and well…were impressed. By me…"

"That is why I was eager to get you into proper clothing and back into our quarters."

"You quarters."

"_Our_ quarters."

"Why are you giving everything to me?" She pulled her knees up to her chest. "I mean, you have made me your pupil to become a huntress, made me your second in command, made everyone respect me and offer their help to me all the time. Poor H'chak runs in and out of here once every hour to see if I am alright when your aren't here."

"You are my mate. Those things belong to you."

"They shouldn't."

"Yes they should."

"I haven't earned them." she looked to him, but he was looking to the door. He seemed to be refusing to look at her for some reason, as he lounged in he chair.

"Yes you have."

"What have I done? Why me? Why did you choose me as your mate? Why Cetanu why?" the door opened and in came H'chak with a huge wooden platter of food.

"I hope I'm not late my Lord, my Lady."

"No…no I guess you're not." She looked away. "Not like I'm going to get a straight answer anyway." Kantra curled her legs around herself, and focused on her toes, away from everyone else.

"My Lord?" Cetanu pointed to the bed, and H'chak placed them there, before bowing to him.

"H'chak."

"Yes my Lord?" she panicked. He stood, and looked to Kantra at last.

"Please refer to my mate by her given name." Kantra looked up, and over to Cetanu with confusion. But he looked to H'chak once more.

"Yes My lord. Is there anything else?"

"No."

"Very well. My Lord. Kantra." H'chak left and Cetanu walked over to the bed. He sat next to the wall, and as far from her as possible. They silently ate their food, and Kantra constantly looked up from her food, at to her mate's face. But he never looked back.

"Thank you…" then he looked up. Tears were in her eyes, and she sniffled into her lap. Now he looked to her, and she looked down. "I noticed what you did with H'chak. Thank you. It meant a lot."

"Think nothing of it."

"I'm confused." He fisted her hanging cloth over her knees, and looked up, distress in her emerald eyes. Her blood red hair was tucked behind her ears, and she looked to him pleadingly. "I am so horrid to you, I have gone out of my way to shout at you, call you names, spite you, and you are _still_ so, so." She sniffed and looked down. "Nice to me…and you haven't asked for…"

"For what?" he shuffled closer to her.

"You haven't asked me to…sleep with you." His head shot up in alarm as tears feel down her face. "I'm your mate, you said I was worthy to be your mate." She looked away, as if ashamed of her own words. "And you were so intimate with me in my mother's cottage, you, I wasn't wearing anything and you climbed all over me and I… I thought you were going to…" she clenched her fists tight, until her knuckles were white. "I thought you wanted me for mat_ing_. But you have given me so much, you have given me everything you own, and you will not tell me why." Not she looked to him with begging eyes, and saw his mask was in his hands. His red eyes held such strength, she leaned closer to him. He then pushed the tray off the bed, and pulled her into his arms.

"I want you to be my mate because of many things. You are strong, capable, competent, skilled, cunning, you have the spirit of a true worrier and would make a fine addition to the Cor'ja clan." He held her closer. "And I…I care for you."

"But you took me from my home while I slept…" Cetanu let go of her, but she didn't him. Her arms were around his waist and her face against his chest.

"One year."

"Wh, what?" she looked up at him. He looked very seriously.

"I will return to your home in one year. If you still wish to remain there and not with me…" he closed his eyes and pulled away from her. "Then I shall allow it." She was speechless.

"But why would you do that? You know I will stay there if you do."

"We shall see. You may learn to like it here." He hoped.

"Why would you even consider letting me go?" she knelt up and had a new admiration for this man. he had guaranteed her freedom, and she only had to wait for a year. There was hope. She now had hope.

"You have a year to find out why." He turned, and walked back to the bed. "Perhaps I have been too forward in my actions." He coughed to clear his throat, and put his mask down on the table. "We shall start again. And you training will begin tomorrow as planned. Although you are still my mate."

"I know. Thank you."

"Very well." He nodded, and walked around the bed to the other side.

"Thank you. And I am so sorry about the way I treated you."

"Think nothing of it."

"I will be a lot nicer now I promise." He laid on the bed, and rested his spinning head. She moved the tray to the side, and laid down too. She smiled when she noticed he didn't move to pull her against him. "Remember when I said I wasn't like your men. Because I didn't follow orders or respect you?"

"Yes." His eyes were closed now.

"Well…" she turned over and shuffled up to him. "I was lying. Friend." She smiled as she fell asleep, and Cetanu sat up. He then planted a soft kiss on her arm, and laid next to her. Things were finally starting to look up, at last. Tonight he may not be able to hold her, but tomorrow was another matter all together. Now he had hope. And she said she would be a lot nicer now. He couldn't wait to see how she would treat him like now.

And he had one whole year to let her know the reason why he took her, why he wanted her as his mate, and why he treats her so well.

**He had one year, to let her know he loves her. One year.**


	11. Chapter 11

"Ooooo." Kantra slapped her hand over her head, and stretched out like a cat. She wiped her face with her hand, and opened her eyes. When Cetanu's private quarters came into view, she did a retake of the last day, then days, then week.

"You are awake." Cetanu's voice brought her attention to the door. "I have laid out some clothes for you, and some weapons I believe you will enjoy training with. As we _shall_ be training today." He was dressed in his body mesh (although with his black skin it was hardly noticeable), wore metallic black Awu'asa with the Cor'ja emblem on the chest piece, his mask in his hand, and many weapons to one side. "The shower is hot, I shall wait for you." Kantra smiled, still slightly gingerly. She still thought back to how awful she was to him. She hadn't wanted to be, but she was angry and she thought if she pushed him and was cold to him, he might take her home.

Well, he is going to take her home now, all she had to do was wait a year.

"Ok, thank you." She bowed her head, showing her respect to him at last, and walked straight into the bathroom. She had a quick shower, and emerged in a towel Cetanu had left in there for her. Her long blood red locks were wet clad to her back, and she shivered. "Where did you say those clothes were?"

"They are on the bed Kantra." He pulled a Smart disc off the vanity table, and hooked it to his hip on his belt.

"Right." She looked over her shoulder at Cetanu, he _may_ be looking down at his belt, but he would still be able to see her. "Since we are starting again…"

"I have no intention of looking up."

"Oh…" she blushed. Obviously it was only her who had thought that, and dropped her towel straight off her shoulders. Her body was already dry, only trickles of water from her hair ran down her back.

Kantra raised a brow at what she saw on the bed for her. But she put it on regardless.

"Are you dressed?"

"I think so." She looked around herself, and walked over to the mirror. She was wearing a short, mid thigh high square skirt, made from a thick brown skin, but didn't show off her hips. They had triangles cut into the side of each outer leg, not large enough to give the effect of a hanging cloth, but still gave less restricted movement. She had a belt, for storing weapons, and a very odd upper top. It looked like a brown cow skin corset, with short shoulder sleeves and came down to her skirt. No stomach on view. "Am I dressed like…"

"A young blood." He finished for her, and pulled a long Naginata with one blade on one end, and two twin blades on the top. Once again, both his Cor'ja ceremonial daggers were sheathed to the outside of each thigh, and he wore his dark demonic mask. "You are unblooded, not yet a huntress with the right to the hunt. And so, you shall dress like one. Besides…I assumed you would like something to wear to aid you in drawing less attention from my hunters."

"You would be right." She blushed. Cetanu leaned his long weapon against the wall, and lowered from his 9 feet, to his knees. "What are you doing?"

"I also assumed you might appreciate these." He lifted one ankle up, and he slipped a material flat mule shaped pump gently to envelope her foot. "Your feet will get quite cold on the ship floors. Colder and colder quicker than the rest of the Clan's. Like the rest of you."

"What makes you think I get colder quicker than the rest of you?"

"You shiver in your sleep." He slipped her other pump on, and stood his full height again.

"Oh…"

"I suggest you wear more at night, or find a way of staying warm." Kantra then noticed he was holding something behind his back.

"What have you got there?"

"Something." She raised a brow, and then smirked. He was getting playful again.

"Something, huh?"

"Yes." He looked away, as if to protest innocence.

"Nothing important then?"

"Nothing important."

"A ha." She looked like she was thinking on it, and walked forward. "So nothing important enough to hide then…" she tried to look behind him, but he had turned to face her. "Right?"

"Right."

"So you would have no problem with me…" she jumped to the side and swung her head around his side. "Seeing it?" but he had moved what ever he was holding, to his side. The side she _couldn't_ see.

"Indeed."

"Then show me." She whined.

"Perhaps."

"Perhaps?"

"Yes, perhaps." He gently turned her with his free hand, and stood behind her. "If you close your eyes." She did so. "And tell me what a good Leader I am."

"You are the greatest leader of the best clan in the entire galaxy."

"Universe." He corrected her. She rolled her eyes.

"Universe."

"Tell me how skilled I am."

"You are so skilled it is untrue." She rolled her eyes, again. "In fact, you are so skilled, you don't get any kick out of making me tell you that and don't get off on me stroking your _ego._" He clattered, and placed his free hand on her shoulder.

"Tell me…" he thought for a moment. "Tell me that you are going to do everything I say whilst I train you, or when it is important, forever, and then swear it on your honour."

"If I do, will you let me see what you are hiding?"

"I will do one better Kantra. I will give it you."

"Deal. I will do whatever you say while you train me, and on your ship…"

"On my ship huh?" He trilled. "Don't think I will let you get away with that Kantra. Off ship too."

"Drat." She chuckled. "Off ship too."

"Good. Now, here is your prize." She felt something long placed into her open hands, and opened her eyes. She gasped, and beamed round at him.

It was her long, double ended mace staff. He had brought her weapons here.

"Thank you." She smiled shyly, as she saw the look in his eyes. He loved her reaction, it warmed his cruel heart.

"Come, we must leave. I have to brief the clan before we train." He turned and walked out the room. Kantra hurried along behind him, as difficult as that was. One of his strides, were about three of hers. Very soon, they were outside a black door just next to the bridge. It swished open, and he stepped inside. "No, you must stay here. This is a briefing for blooded hunters only."

"Oowww." She frowned. She then leaned her back against the wall to the side of the door, hung her head forward and held her mace staff in her folded arms.

"Do not worry." He said very quietly leaning down near her face. "One day I will let you chair these briefings, right by my side." Kantra smiled softly, and looked to his eyes. But he had already walked inside the room, and the door had closed.

_Bored…bored…bored…bored…I wonder how many more times I can say bored before they come out? _ Kantra huffed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back against the smooth metal wall behind her. _How long have they been in there now? 2 hours? At least._ Kantra then pulled her head back off the wall, and raised a brow. _Oh come on. He couldn't seriously expect me to wait here for hours on end for him, right?_

'_No, you must stay here-'_

_now he couldn't have meant that literally, surely. It just meant I mustn't go inside. Not literally stay here, on the spot._ She nodded, her mind made up and pushing that nagging voice telling her to do as she was told aside.

_Time to go and have a little look around my new home (for a year) before I go insane._

_oh, this is just great. Every hall looks the same, every door the same, and now I don't know where I am. Damn it._ Kantra growled and leaned against a wall. Her arms flopped to her sides, and her feet hurt for wandering aimlessly for hours. _I said a 'little' walk. Not a freakin' marathon! Where the hell is the mess hall? I'm starving! And why haven't I seen anyone around here yet? Where is everyone!_

"Heh heh."

"Give that back Bakkub!"

"Make me, you S'yuit-de!" a soft hissing crackled after that, and Kantra found her feet moving towards the high voices.

"I am not a coward!"

"Are too, you're afraid of me, aren't you?"

"Am not!" Kantra found her fingers curling around the frame of an open doorway, and peering inside with her emerald eyes. She saw two young unblooded pups. Well, one looked like a pup, the other slightly older. They both had light brown dreadlocks, but the older was male with his tied back in a simple tie, and the female, the youngest, had hers tied back in two low pig tails. It was quite odd actually. To see a boy teasing a girl. Usually he females were a lot bigger than the males, even at the earlier ages…

"Are to. Raaar!" the boy she learned to be called Bakkub, with brown leathery shorts on and sandals, faked forward suddenly, and the little girl jerked back and yelped. "See! Come on Paya, grow a backbone!"

"I have a backbone!" she squeaked, from her sat position on the floor. "G give me back my Doll!"

"Take it, you S'yuit-de!"

"Stop calling that child a coward, boy." Kantra had spoken the words before she could stop herself. The strangely small girl gasped and shakily got to her feet with her brother. Kantra growled when they both bowed other, the scent of fear slowly ebbing to her nostrils. "Look at me, _both_ of you." She barked. Inside, she was actually frowning at herself. But it seemed that asking people to do anything for her around here without the say so of Cetanu, didn't work. "I mean it."

"Yes Mistress!" they chorused, and stood tall. Again, Kantra found herself confused why the young girl was so small.

"What are you names?" standing with them staring at her in silence didn't do anything for her sanity, so she decided to break the quiet.

"I am Bakkub, Mistress. And this is my sister."

"I thought you were related. It would explain why you are allowed to mix together before blooding. Your younger sister?"

"Twin, Mistress." She blinked at him out of disbelief. He was about what, 12? And yet he was a good head taller than his sister. _Impossible._

"The same age?"

"Yes mistress." Kantra didn't like that Bakkub was answering all the questions, and the little girl was looking to her feet with a looking oppressed, like she was used to being ignored.

"And what is your name little one?" Kantra folded her knees beneath her and smiled warmly on level with the girl. But she didn't look at her.

"Her name is-"

"I asked her." Kantra didn't look away from the girl, and reached out slowly. She cupped her face, and felt her flinch. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you. Now." she chuckled. "Can I see what colour your lovely eyes are? I would like you to look at me and tell me your name, please." Slowly, the girl let Kantra lift her face up to look at her, and she smiled. She had the most beautiful set of honey eyes, bright and tender. And yet she saw a great sadness in the shadows of her dark pupils.

"Mmm, mmmy name is Paya, Mistress." She squeaked again.

"Oh how lovely." At the sound of her name, her heart skipped a beat and tears prickled at her eyes. But she never stopped smiling. "My mother's name is Paya."

"I thought I was the only Paya onboard, Mistress?"

"You are. My mother isn't here…" she sniffled, and squeezed her eyes, then opened them to suppress her tears. "But she is always with me. In here." Kantra put one hand over her heart, and left the other on the girl's face.

"Did you eat her!" Paya asked nervously, and Kantra blinked twice before laughing into her hands.

"No, no I didn't. I mean she is in my heart." Kantra pushed a rebel lock of her braided hair from her face with a smile. "Now, why were you two arguing before?" she saw Bakkub shuffle uncomfortably with his hands behind his back. "Bakkub?"

"Why do you think I know!"

"Because I remember hearing you say something about a doll, and I don't see one." Kantra stood at her tallest height, folded her arms and raised a brow. "And _I _think you are holding it behind your back. am I right?" he gulped. "And am I right in assuming the doll doesn't belong to you? But your sister?"

"Erm…yes Mistress." He hung his head forward in shame and held the doll before him. It looked like a rag doll, with five fake dreadlocks and a missing eye, brown cloth skin and fabric armour panted on more cotton. The mandibles were a stitched on pattern, and the sausage shaped arms had hands dyed onto them too.

"And may I see that?"

"Yes Mistress." He handed it to her, his head hung over still and awaiting his punishment for his behaviour.

"Here you go Paya."

"Thank you Mistress!...but…"

"But what Paya?"

"Why did you give it me back? Shouldn't you have made me take it back instead?" Kantra smiled again.

"And why should I do that?"

"Because she is weak and shouldn't have to rely on others to rescue her. That's why." Bakkub said grumpily. That heart warming smile that Kantra had seen on the little girl's face faded into a frown, and for some reason that just made her blood boil.

"Now listen here boy." He tensed. _Since when am I all condescending and stern?_

_Since you met Cetanu? Mister Stern and Condescending himself? When he isn't alone with you…_

Her conscious reminded her, and she made a plan.

"And I think you don't know what being strong is all about. It isn't just about physical strength. That has nothing to do with being strong." She then softened her smile on Paya. "It also involves courage, strength of heart and mind, honour and knowing what's right. And where in that, did I say anything about strength?" now Kantra knew what the real problem was.

Naturally, the females in Yautja society are much, much taller. A set of twins, one boy and one female, can differ with the female being from one foot, to even 3 or 4 feet taller than her sibling. The females are also built bigger.

And yet this little one, of around 12 years, looked barely 8 or 9. she was a lot more slender, more petite than natural. And yet she looked healthy enough.

"You didn't…"

"And you also need skill to be a mighty, conquering warrior. Isn't that what your names means? Conquering warrior?" The girl nodded, and slowly life began to return to her bright eyes, becoming even brighter. "My mother, is an ETA. She has a genetic condition which means she can't exercise or excel herself physically or her blood will clot in her veins, and she will die. But she never gave in to her handicap." Kantra was talking solely to Paya now. And she was listening intently. "Others around her taunted her, said she would never do anything with herself to be proud of. But you know what? She didn't listen, and now she has accomplished something great. Not only is she the head of a successful business, but she controls tournaments in her establishment for hunters from all around. And once a year, there is a major tournament where hunters and clans from across the universe make their way back to the motherland, _just_ to compete for victory in _her_ tournament. But she has done so much more.

She owns the Hunter's rest and Bath house. A place, which is home to so many of our kind who have been overlooked and underappreciated. And greatly underestimated. There, they have found themselves a skill that they can do better than anyone else, and surpass everyone else. She took so many people in, and gave her life to caring for them and others. For me. You know, she rescued me from the clutches of the Kainde Amedha? When I was only a small pup, still a babe in arms. And she gave her life to raise me to be all that she couldn't, and loved me with all she was. And I will never be able to express how grateful I am for that. How much I love her for what she did for me. She is strong, so very strong. And yet she doesn't have any skulls or trophies, and has only ever been on one hunt."

"Only one?"

"Yes. And you know, she said to me once that she achieved the greatest honour of all that day, and the greatest trophy of them all." Kantra held Paya's hands, who was inspired by this story entirely. "Me." She was fighting back tears again. "I was the greatest honour, and the greatest trophy she had ever gained. So she told _me_ anyway." She chuckled a sob, and little Paya wiped it away on her tip toes, Kantra still sat before her. "Thank you. And you think you are nothing special?"

"I didn't say-"

"You didn't have to. I can see it in your eyes. I noticed something about you when I first saw you. And I can see you have a very low opinion of yourself. Am I right?" Her beautiful Amber eyes saddened and looked down again.

"I'm too little. And I'm weak. I have hardly any strength and I'm afraid of everyone. I am not a true Yautja." She whimpered, and that was just too much for her to take. Kantra could stand looking at this bright eyed, beautiful little girl, and hear her say _that_.

"_Why aren't you playing with the other pups?"_

"_I can't momma. They are all bigger than me. I can't keep up with them all…I don't fit in."_

"_And why not my darling?"_

"…_I am not a true Yautja…"_

"Yes you bloody well are!" Kantra shook her shoulders lightly to get her attention. "It doesn't matter that you are smaller, or weaker, or different. You are a true Yautja too. You have your own talents and are just as special. No one is the same, and everyone shines in a different way to the next. You just need to find your light, and take it. Don't let anyone ever, _ever_ hold you down or hold you back from your dreams. If you want to be strong, you can be strong. If you want to compete with the likes of your peers, do it. And be better than anyone could ever hope for you. Use your lack of height to your advantage. Small is quick, and agile. It doesn't matter if your opponent is bigger or stronger than you, they can't touch you, or see you movements. And with skill as well, you have the potential to be just as great as any other Yautja here." Her breath caught in her throat.

That was exactly what her mother told her, word for word. "That advice was given to me when I was a young pup. And I have lived by it ever since. I am not 8 feet tall, I don't have biceps larger than a pup's head. But I have skill, speed, and spirit. If you were to push me down, I would get back up. And I would never give up. Just look at me." She chuckled. "I'm an Ooman. How smaller and weaker can you get? And yet, I am a skilled Huntress, kind of, and the second of command of the entire Cor'ja clan. And…and the mate of Cetanu, the living God of death himself." Kantra gently pulled Paya close and stroked the back of her head as she hugged her front. "And I started out a lot like you. All the great hunters start out as pups, with no skills or weapons. But they all rose to greatness. And so can you."

"Th, thank you!" Paya held onto her neck tightly, and refused to let go of her. "Thank you so much! No one has said I could be anything, since, since." But she broke down into tears and Kantra rose, holding her with a few bounces as she stood.

"Shhhh, it's ok. It's ok." Paya pressed her face into the crook of her neck, and Kantra rested her chin on the young pup's head. She then felt a tug on her square leather skirt, and looked down to see Bakkub looking to her with wide eyes.

"…can we all really be that great one day?"

"If you want it enough, you can do _anything_." and then he too flung himself at her, hugging his leg. And strangely enough, Paya whimpered even more into her neck. "What did I say? Please don't cry." She cooed, one arm bared under Paya's bum to hold her up, and the other hand petting Bakkub's head.

"Momma used to say that to us every night, (sob) before bed." Bakkub rubbed his mandibles against her leg, trying to dry his tears.

_Used to say?_

…_oh no…_ she bit her lips, and held them closer to them. _they lost their mother. No wonder Paya thought so poorly of herself, and Bakkub forced himself to tease her, to make her stronger. No mother…how awful._

"You know what, she still says that to you every night." Kantra lowered to one knee, Bakkub still holding her bent one relentlessly, but looking up at her. Paya still buried herself into Kantra's neck. "She whispers her love and care to you while you sleep, showing you with her love. And you can honour her by becoming strong, honourable warriors that she can be proud of, and by remembering her with pride, remembering her love. Be happy for her, and she will watch over you."

"Thank you." Bakkub wiped his tears, and puffed his chest out. "I will be a strong Hunter!" she smiled warmly.

"I know you will. And you will look out for your sister, and stop teasing her too." She tapped the space above his mandibles between his eyes playfully, and he blushed shyly. "And you will stop being afraid. Because your mother is watching over you."

"Will you watch over us too Mistress?" _but I', not going to be here forever. Only a year._ She sniffled, but nodded with an honoured smile.

"Yes. We can all look out for each other. Promise me?" she looked to them all. and they nodded.

"I swear it on my honour!"

"I swear to watch out for my brothers and sisters forever, like my father."

"You father?" that was good news. She couldn't bare it if they were fatherless too. "Where is he? Why are you all alone in here?"

"He is in a meeting with his Lordship, Mistress." His dark ebony eyes were tearless now, and she liked them that way. _Ah yes, that damn meeting I couldn't go to…_

"That was quite a while ago. Shouldn't he be back by now?"

"Yeah he should…but I am sure he is doing something really important. And he told us to wait here until he-"

"Mistress! Didn't _you_ go to the meeting too?" Paya piped up from her neck, shining with those two gorgeous amber eyes.

"I am unblooded." Both children looked at her, scandalised. "What?"

"But you are the second of the clan! And you are unblooded! Haven't you been on the Chiva, ever!"

"No, not yet." She pouted. "But Cetanu will be training me." Both children had shuddered at the name of their leader. She rolled her eyes.

"What an honour." Bakkub beamed. "To be trained personally by his lordship! I would _kill_ for that honour."

"Well, whatever he teaches me, I'll teach you too. And besides, I'm not completely useless now, I'll have you know." She mock pouted at him, and then stood up again. "I have trained myself for many years, with the basics taught to me from my mother."

"But his lordship would never let you teach us his ways!"

"Oh, I'm sure I could persuade him." Kantra saw Bakkub raise a brow at her, and she blushed. "You are what, 12 years old? So stop looking at me like that! I didn't mean that at all!"

"Yeah…_right_. And I'm 14." He grumbled. _It seems he was brushed with the small brush too. Barely. And not as badly as Paya._ She felt the need to cheer them up somehow. They were both looking towards the door, obviously worrying where their father could be.

"I have an idea how to pass the time." Instantly she had their attention. "Let's play a game…"

AN:

Sexy new name, sexy new chapter.

Without the sexiness of the chapter….

But anyway!

Draguna Doragon here, with another chapter, and the promise to update very, very soon. Like the next day kind of thing, I swear!

So review, or you will have to wait longer…

grins evilly

and what is this?

Why is Cetanu furious in the next chapter?

And what is he hiding now? and this time, he will not let Kantra know what it is at all costs….

But what is it?

REVIEW, WAIT, AND SEE!

From

Draguna Doragon


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

AN: WOOOOO!

I'm back with a whole new bag of lovely delights for one of my favourite stories!

…cough…

well, now that sanity has been at least partially restored, I hope you enjoy the chapter, and I would like to thank everyone who personal messaged me and reviewed the story faithfully asking for the next chapter and asking about my exams. I won't know the results until August, but enough about that!

On with the show, story, chapter, thing!

Lol

Ejoy!

From

Draguna Doragon

"My Lord, what are you orders?" Unusual fear started to rise in the form of musk from all around the war room (named as such from Cetanu), as their fearless leader, was silent.

And not in the usual way, foreboding and confident.

This was just…different.

His men were awaiting orders, and he gave none. He seemed in a trance, looking over them all to the back of the dark room. Unreachable by the living. "My lord…?"

A holographic image of a large space station, similar in shape to a spinning top on a tilt, orbiting a known hard meat infested moon, hovered before him on the table. He didn't need Jafna to tell him it was an Ooman vessel, or how many soft meats were onboard, or even the interior designs or weaponry.

Because he could tell _him_ all those things, and more…

It was like staring at a ghost, the thing that haunted his ever sleeping moment, and his right hand twitched.

Cetanu quickly pulled the said hand back from view into the shadows. He had to use all his control to stop his own musk giving off fear. "My lord? What are you orders?"

Abruptly he stood.

Making all in the room flinch.

And he just left, just like that. Not a word, not a backward glance, or the slightest explanation.

And in actual fact, no one had the right to make him explain himself, not without a death wish.

He was not followed, as the chaos black armoured, chaos black hearted God of death in the flesh, stormed silently through his ship and stopped with a caught breath.

He had walked out the door, and down at least two different halls…

…and Kantra had not been anywhere in sight.

That was the _last_ thing he needed today, for his mate to have gone missing. She was still unfamiliar with the ship, and could be alone, hurt, crying in a corner somewhere…

More images of suffering in the form of experiences flashed through his mind, and his blood raged.

Not here, not now. He needed her, he needed to be near her, for that silent peace of mind he felt in her proximity.

Before he did something crazy.

Sanity was slipping away from him, he could feel it.

No, too many memories, to much pain and confused, panicking thoughts rushing in every direction in his head. There was no clarity, no order or control.

His fingers trembled by his sides.

_Kantra, I need you, now!_

That simple peace he felt around her was something he desperately needed now, in his time of need. Like a fix for his addiction, but the cure for his instability.

And fear.

Yes, he was afraid.

For the first time in 20 or less years, he was terrified.

And deep in his gut, he knew the only remedy for his upset was the serenity of his mate.

But she was missing.

His agitation increased, his own fear increasing with the concern for his mate's wellbeing.

And then he smelt it.

Naxa berries and cream. Her scent.

_Her_ scent.

Even through his mask it was undeniably hers. He ploughed through his walking clan brothers, in a deranged state of need for his mate. His body language became more aggressive as the time passed. He tore doors off their hinges, pushed unsuspecting Hunters out of his way violently, his back arched and his mandibles flared angrily against the inside of his mask. His head snapped from side to side, catching her scent again and using it like a beacon.

His sense of smell had always been more acute than the normal Yautja…

"Heh heh heh." Her giggle, it reared his head up into its direction and he stopped, his breathing paused as he listened intently. "Ha! Missed again." He started moving, his unrest settling slightly at the promise of her being alright, safe and happy.

"Grrrr." And he stopped again. Someone was growling at her! All thoughts of calming down flew out the window, and utter blind rage stormed in through the door. The voices had come from the 6th Training hall, and he almost sprinted inside. He threw his head back the moment he entered, and released a deep, threatening roar, beating his chest with a promise of death to whomever meant his mate harm.

There was one yelp, and a scream, followed by shhh-ing coaxing. He scanned quickly around the room for A, the threat, and B, Kantra.

But all he saw was A, two pups, and B, Kantra holding their cowering forms.

"Now what was that for!" she barked in her usual tone, like he was not Cetanu, but a naughty little boy. "Look, you scared them now!" She didn't look at him properly, still trying to calm her own racing heart, and sooth the two young ones currently clung to her waist for dear life. One minute she was playing catch the queen with them, her being the queen, and then next in came Cetanu, in full Awu'asa and looking ready to spill blood. A damn unnerving sight. She fet sorry for his opponents. "There there, everything is o-k." she sighed, getting her breathing back to normal, and then glared at Cetanu again. "You idiot! Do you _want_ to give me a heart attack!"

"I would _never_ harm you." He snarled, half relieved she was alright, and here, with him. And half furious that she had worried him sick like this in the first place! "Where did you go!"

"I've been here all morning." She rubbed circles into the twins' backs, and Bakkub bravely tore himself away from her. Paya however was still whimpering into her stomach.

"It's afternoon!" he barked. "I TOLD you to STAY outside the DOOR!"

"And I did, for at least 2 hours." She chuckled, not yet sensing the severity of the situation. "Then I went for a little walk and stumbled across two very sweet, very brave young ones." She bounced Paya in her arms until she looked up at her warm, smiling face. "This one is called Paya, and-"

"I don't give a Pauk what their names are!" He hissed, and _now_ Kantra was worried. And angry. Mainly angry actually.

"Well _excuse_ me! But I _do_ give a Pauk what their names are and I think you should watch your language around them too!" she ignored the fact that she had also sworn.

Cetanu swiftly made his way in three brief strides before her, and glared through the red lenses of his dark, demonic mask at Paya.

"Move." Paya yelped, and shakily reached for her frozen brother to take her. But Kantra stepped back, and refused to put her down.

"No, Paya can stay right where she is." For some reason, she didn't like the thought of the children leaving her alone with her mate right now.

He looked livid.

"Put, the brat, down!" he growled deep from within his throat, and even Kantra gulped.

"N no." she just held onto her tighter. "Why should I?"

"Because I am ORDERING YOU TO!" He snarled at the end, and felt twinge of pain in his chest when she flinched.

_Oh no, Gods no. Don't let her be afraid of me too. _

"Give me a reason."

"Because you swore to me this very morning, that you would obey me and my rules. And yet you 'took a little walk' after I specifically told you to wait for me there. Because you disobeyed me and should be punished for it. Because I am NOT in the mood for your petty contradictive ways and because I am telling you to. REASON ENOUGH?" Cetanu towered over her, his chest heaving with furious breaths and Paya quivering against Kantra's chest.

"No." at first he thought he was hearing things.

"What did you say?" he hissed warningly, as if to tell her she should think about her answer before saying it again.

"I said, no." this was about the bravest Kantra had ever been, and the most terrified at the same time. "That is _not_ reason enough. I am sorry for walk off-"

"So you should be. Directly disobeying me like that; outrageous!"

"BUT, I didn't know how long you were going to be, so I wanted to stop myself going crazy and got preoccupied. I lost track of time. I am sorry." But her words were coming out as stern as his, both of them glaring squarely at each other. Even if that meant he had to bend his head forward, and she had to crane her neck back.

"That is no excuse."

"And neither is because you say so!" she retorted, and held Paya even closer to her. "I will not put this child down until you calm the hell down!" Cetanu growled at her menacingly, but then turned on his heels. Kantra watched with worrying curiosity as he pressed a combination of numbers his arm guard panel, and waited. Soon enough, with a prelude of heavy breathing and urgent footsteps, a panting Hunter came running into the training hall. He was the average 7 feet tall, had dark brown dreads tied back in a low ponytail, short brown pants with a short hanging cloth over the top, the usual weapon belt and side spear, dark brown eyes and dark green mottled skin.

"My Lord." He panted. "Bakkub! Paya!"

"Remove your children, Tochel." He barked, and instantly Kantra found the young pup being torn from her arms and carried away from her.

"But Papa, I need to look out for Lady Kantra!" Bakkub protested weakly as his father dragged him by the elbow.

"Me too Papa!" Paya even reached over her father's shoulder trying to touch her, as she was carried away.

"Hush, that is enough." He silenced them instantly, and left the room.

The tension began to escalate immediately, and Kantra never felt so intimidated by him. Cetanu stood over her, like an omnipotent tower of vengeance, still glaring and _still_ growling softly in his throat.

In all, he was _not_ amused.

"Look, I'm sorry I walked off, but you had no right to-"

"Silence." He hissed, and turned his back from her. "_You_ are the one with no rights here. I just revoked them until your Chiva."

"What!" She asked, appalled. "You can't do that!"

"I just did." He couldn't let this happen again. He had to know where she was, that she was safe…that she was near if he needed her. Even with the hostility between them, he was considerably much more at ease with her here than not. His breathing even returned to normal.

"You bastard! You mean to treat me like a suckling pup! Like a pet!"

"Don't start this again. You know I have no intention of treating you like a pet, or an object, or a trophy. So don't try to turn this around."

"Turn this around! YOU are the one turning this around! I thought you said we were going to start again? I thought we resolved everything last night!"

"We did, we have."

"Then what the Pauk is wrong with you!" she roared, and he snapped round to look deep into her furious emerald eyes.

_What is wrong with me?_

_I'm frightened._

_My ghosts are coming to get me at last._

_And all I can do is shout, and bark, and scream at the one person who I care about the most…_

Kantra was fuming! She was ready to go all out and be that horrid bitch with him again…when she saw his fingers twitching slightly. "Cetanu?"

"We are going back to our room, now." it was a statement, not a request. But it lacked the edge to it that he had a few moments ago.

Kantra started to think something was terribly wrong. And he hadn't yet told her _why_ exactly he was angry at her. And it couldn't be just because she walked around the halls of _his_ _safe_ ship. There had to be much more than that.

_Oh how stupid can I get? Look at him, he's not angry at all. he's just upset and the only way he can deal with it is to get angry. With me._ _The one who won't get physically hurt by him. He meant it when he said he would never hurt me, so I must be the only one he can trust himself to be around and not lash out at anyone. Damn, why didn't I notice this earlier._ Kantra slowly made her way right up to him, and held one of his trembling hands in both of hers. He snapped out of his daze, and looked to her.

"Ok. If you need me to, I'll come with you. I'll always come if you need me to. That's more than enough of a reason."

_Thank you._ But he couldn't voice it. Instead, he silently wrapped his thumb round the back of her hand, and fit her palm in his, wrapping his fingers around to touch his thumb, holding her hand entirely.

Yes, that simply gesture said it all. Kantra knew now, Cetanu needed her. And if something horrid _has _happened, and then he couldn't find her, then-

_Then of course he would be 'frustrated'._ She scolded herself, before giving his hand a reassuring squeeze. Right now he needed her to be supportive, not angry or sarcastic with him. Not a super bitch. He didn't need that, he needed his mate.

And what ever was bothering him, she would get out of him in no time.

They walked silently through the halls again, until they were back in 'their' room. Then he seemed to let all his guards down as the door closed with a lock, and collapsed into a chair.

By the desk.

By the door.

The door that Kantra had never been through, and the desk she had never looked in. the one to the right of the forbidden door. The one he sat by when she called him cold, in their last argument.

Until today, that is.

But she didn't make any connections, she just sat on her knees by his side, at his legs and he still held onto one of her hands, like an anchor to his wits. "Cetanu. What's wrong? I'm worried now." But he remained silent; his skeletal tail draped over the chair arm to one side and sprawled out on the floor, flicking at the end every now and then. His colossal arms overhung the arm rests, and he sank back against the chair backrest, looking in what could either be a state of shock, or dead.

Or perhaps both. "Cetanu?" she said more urgently now. He was scaring her. "Cetanu _please_." He looked to her, and her worried eyes. Her fiery blood red hair veiled the sides of her face, ignored for now, covering one of her glistening emerald eyes from his view. But he could see it now if he wanted to, mirroring the look of concern in the other eye. Her perfect peach skin looking as smooth as ever. He could remember the feel of her soft skin beneath his fingertips even now, after leaving the Bathhouse and finally claiming her through a challenge, after all their arguments and the promise to start again, fresh and not so forward…

But he liked being that forward. He was desperate to feel her skin again, to hold her close to him, intimately, and for her to hold him back with all the love he had for her. But he couldn't force those things from her; he learned that the hard way.

But he could still hold her, take support from her when he needed it.

Kantra found her hand being tugged gently until she was on her feet. He then pulled her suddenly until she fell awkwardly onto his lap. Two enormous arms enveloped her to him until her right shoulder pressed against his chest. He hooked his neck over her head and curved round her until his chin rested at the top of her forehead.

He seemed so anxious, so cold and in need of warmth. For some reason Kantra felt great sorrow and fear.

Pain licked and stabbed, probed and sliced through her entire body all at once, invading and abusing her inside and out, making a whore of her body for the pleasure of someone else.

All these sensations, these feelings hit her like a wave of emotion. It made her whimper at the back of her mouth, and huddle into his chest for comfort. Is that what he was feeling? Or just a taster? "C Cetanu. Please tell me what's wrong. Please, I'm begging you. Please?" Those feelings were so strong, she found tears were jerked from her eyes and slugged down her cheeks. But she couldn't remember crying them. "Cet-" he silenced her lips with one talon-ed finger, pulling her against him as tightly as he could. Without hurting her of course. _Oh, I see. He isn't ready to tell me yet._ She sighed, and snaked her arms up around his chest. Although, her fingers didn't meet on his back. "I'm here for you Cetanu. I'm your friend, I'll always listen to you no matter what you need to say, and I will never judge you for it. Please tell me soon. It's so frightening to see you like this." Kantra nestled into his chest, and frowned. "You're still wearing you Awu'asa, you great dolt." At last he made a sound, a soft chuckle.

Maybe that was the way to snap him out of this, cheer him up. "Remember Paya and Bakkub? The two cubs you found me with?" he didn't answer. "Well, you wouldn't believe what they told me." She said giddily. "_They_ said their father had scanned into space earlier this morning and found an Ooman space station, AND a Kainde Amedha infested moon beneath it! Would it be a perfect place for a Chiva?" despite her enthusiasm and childish glee (and hint), Cetanu wasn't cheered up by this news. Kantra looked up at him, still smiling…only to see him looking the other way. _I can't even tell what he's feeling because he's still wearing that damn mask._ "Have you finished training for the day? We can always start tomorrow." He nodded. He didn't think he could focus with now. "Well then. I'll just take this off then." Cetanu gulped deeply as her mate squirmed pleasantly on his lap until she straddled him. his hands automatically sought out her hips.

_Well, at least I have his full attention now._ She blushed to herself. Kantra slowly curved her fingers around the edge of his mask, and began to pull it from his face.

"No!" she recoiled from the sharp bark. Cetanu fixed his mask in place and leaned back in the chair again, pretending not to notice she was still straddling him, and looking quite upset.

"I, I'm sorry. I just wanted to see your face." Kantra looked to her lap dejectedly. _He has never stopped me seeing his face before. He seems to even like it._ "Oh Cetanu. Whatever's happened to you must be awful." She threw herself at him, clinging to his neck and whimpering softly. "I didn't mean to upset you. If you think I'm not ready for my Chiva yet, on that moon. Then that's fine! Is this my fault? It is isn't." she sobbed, still feeling the ripples of angst emotions whirring through her. "I'm sorry, I thought you had forgiven me for being so horrible. But hiccup I never meant for you to get this upset, I just wanted to go home. I, I, sob never meant-"

"This isn't your fault." Cetanu held her back and eased her trembling form against him. Now he felt even worse. He had made his mate cry.

"Really?"

"Really."

"Then why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

He didn't answer at first, glad the lenses of his mask could hid the weakness of his eyes from her seeking emerald ones. _Look at what I have reduced her to. Kantra, the fiery temptress I became ensnared by is weeping in my arms. I did this to her. The knowledge of that alone is painful. Kantra, forgive me. I should know better than to burden you with my troubles. You don't deserve any of this. I must be strong._ He cleared his throat. _I have to be strong, for you my love. When I a weak, you are weak too. When I am weak, who is left to be strong for you? I should be reassuring you, not staring into space like I've gone mad. This isn't fair on you. no, I will not tell you the darkest horrors that is my past. You are too naïve, to innocent for that. I would never do that to you, my beloved._

Kantra yelped a hiccup as she was suddenly swept off her feet.

"Nothing is wrong." He lied in a monotone, so she wouldn't be able to tell.

"What? But you were so upset." She gazed up at him helplessly. Cetanu thought she looked so vulnerable like that, cuddled up in his vast muscular arms as he carried her to the bed.

"It is nothing to concern yourself with Kantra. Is something were wrong, you would know about along with the rest of the Clan."

"But-"

"Hushh." He laid her down on the bed, and pulled up next to her. "This is the perfect opportunity to gather as much rest as possible. I shall be starting your training tomorrow, and it shall be vigorous and unrelenting. You will need your strength."

"But-"

"Sleep Kantra. You have nothing to worry about. I shall prepare and protect you from anything that could ever harm you. You are safe Kantra. Sleep knowing that." He couldn't stop himself. He wrapped an arm around her slim waist and cuddled up against her.

This action alone told her he was _not_ alright and something _was_ wrong. Just because it wasn't something to concern the rest of the clan with, didn't mean it wasn't something to concern Kantra with. After all, willing or not, she was his mate. It was her _right_ to know what caused him so much turmoil. How else could she make it alright again, if she didn't know what _it_ was?

_Don't you think this is over Cetanu. I know a cover up when I hear one. I haven't finished with this just yet._ Kantra huddled against his chest, turning into him and rubbing her cheek against his chest. it was quite cold the later it got, and without eating since breakfast, she was even colder. Although she was too worried to think about food right now. _I'll find Thwei. He'll know what happened in that meeting. _She then frowned sadly. _Whatever happened must be really bad, for Cetanu of all people to act like this, and fall asleep in his Awu'asa. No self respecting Yautja in his or her right mind falls asleep in there Awu'asa. Not unless they are not in their right mind…_

Both Cetanu and Kantra had a troubled night's sleep, but none more so than Cetanu. Because he didn't _get_ any sleep.

_On the Ooman ship._

_Remembering. _

_He hated remembering. _

_He never wanted to remember this again._

_It had almost been his last day. His day of judgement._

Dr Kadolph was 48, had short curtains of blonde hair, slowly aging with a few streaks of white at the sides, had tired icy blue eyes, and a chronic case of insomnia. Sure, he took his medication like a good boy, but it rarely helped him, other than to wire him up for the next day of work. Because he _had_ work, vital work that was always under the scrutiny of the militant authority on the ship.

The only authority on the ship.

He had what they liked to call, a big, scary brain ripe for the squeezing.

He was 48.

What about that said anything about being ripe?

But he was smart, he knew that. And with his past work and projects, he was also constantly sought after.

Colonial 5.

That was the official name of the 'research post' of The Bipolar Moon of ring 8. For mineral deposits.

_Mineral deposits? Who the hell are they trying to kid? Those marching flunkies are just lucky no one from the government actually came to investigate these alleged 'mineral depositaries'. I would have loved to see those pushy bastards try to convince the official that those walking bugs were minerals really. As are those eggs and transport bodies locked up in wing 6._ Kadolph allowed himself to chuckle, but it didn't help.

He still felt like scum.

"Another day, another sin." He found that to be his constant mantra these days.

Ok, who was _he_ kidding? More like these years. No, decades.

He had been doing this more than half his life now. And even after the sleepless nights and two broken marriages, with no children, he still kept getting up in the morning to go to work.

He had been on this damn station since he was young and up coming lab brat. His father's assistant, and one of the few to have survived the Splice affair.

At least, that is what it was nicknamed soon after the event.

His father had perished, who had oddly enough lived the life he was living now, and brought him up to walk in his sinning footsteps.

This had to be a sin, what he was doing. Right?

Love thy neighbour, all of God's creation is holy, treat as you would want to be treated.

He spat on these teachings every day with his cup of black coffee.

He used to cringe when his father used to switch between taking a drag of his cigarette, and swallowing mouthfuls of strong back coffee.

Another trait he had inherited over time in his absence, as well as his old project.

Oh yes, the military seemed oblivious to the still present fear and loss caused by the Splice affair, which almost caused the entire station to _collapse_ in space, _far_ too eager for the project to continue.

And who better than the original head scientist's brilliant son to take the lead? The one who watched, observed, and actually understood everything the old coot did and why. The only one who lived it.

Yep, that is how Hans Kadolph inherited his father's sleep deprivation, his smoking and drinking habits to dampen his conscience, and his life long project.

The one that literally killed him in the end.

"Adolph, you have 5 minutes before General Chirch has an episode." Came the every cheery voice of his young apprentice. Although this time, unlike his father, he hadn't had a son as his protégé, he did decide it a good idea for another set of mind, and company in that deathly silent laboratory. "Adolph?" Ah, that name. He was nicknamed after an ancient dictator that practiced and promoted genocide, and had the support of the military as long as they had their way. He was also, _ironically_, German in heritage, had blonde hair and blue eyes. An Arian, the designer Hitler baby. He didn't like the name at first, ignorant of his sins, but now he had become accustomed to it. Like his alter ego. By day he was the hard working destroyer of lives and humanity as we know it, and by night he was the pathetic mess who choked on his own whiskey and cigar smoke, wallowing in self pity and begging God for forgiveness.

Though he knew he didn't deserve it.

Because the next day, come metaphoric rain or shine, he got up and did the whole thing over again. The whole point o asking for forgiveness is because you are sorry and you won't do it again. He _was_ sorry, but what was the point if he just jumped back on the ordered militant bandwagon the next day?

But he still tried.

"Yeah yeah, hold on." Dr Kadolph finished shaving, leaving a small nick on his jaw and ignoring the sting of his aftershave.

He pulled on his usual attire, military issued green trousers with black leather belt, black shoes, green military shirt and his white lab coat. He clipped his name badge onto his chest pocket, and placed his glasses on. Years of computers and squinting into test tubes did that to your eyesight.

He opened the door with a sigh. "Oh God, did you say General Chirch?"

"Sure did. He's on his way for a progress report."

"On his way to the briefing room on his way? Or on his way to my messy, unorganised, empty lab?"

"The latter sir." His apprentice laughed cheerfully. He was always cheerful, despite knowing full well they were committing rape upon humanity. Taking its innocence and ruining its chances for sanity and life in general in the future. He was like that.

Corey Hunter was as soft as they came, but also as passionate for his work as they came too. He was very much two different people. All smiled and cheer off work, but serious and focused from passing the threshold of the lab. He was barely 20, had bright emerald eyes, and curtains of blood red hair, and perfect peach skin that made him _very_ popular with the female staff population… "So what do you think we should do sir?" Corey stuffed his hands into his trousers, wearing the same uniform and lab coat as he was.

"I think I should have a fag."

"It isn't even 12 yet sir." He chuckled. It was usually around that time his teacher got so stressed he needed one. It was amusing to see him need one just from the thought of the general being in his lab. "And shouldn't we be getting to the lab?"

"I have a better idea. We'll go to the lab." Corey laughed again, his smile as bright as his eyes. "_And_ I'll have a fag." This time Corey suppressed his laugh, and stood behind the Dr nervously.

General Chirch was stood at the end of the corridor waiting for them, a lighter in his hand. Obviously he had either heard their conversation, or seen Dr Kadolph put his cigarette in his mouth desperately.

"Good morning gentlemen. Light, Dr?"

"Oh, thank you." he said upon reaching him, no blaming his young apprentice for taking cover behind him. He leaned over the flame and took a few drags of his cigarette before pulling back. He exhaled just as the General lit his own cigar. "Aahh."

"I have a meeting to get to gentlemen." _Down to business._ Kadolph thought. _All the better for me._ "How is the project going?"

"According to plan, General." Kadolph didn't move to go to his lab. It seemed he was more than eager to talk everything through right here in the hall.

Military rule had taken over the base since before the Splice affair, so they could do as they liked anyway. _Gits._

"Has maturity been reached yet?"

"The early stages have been attained, yes. I _did_ give my recommendations months previously however, _not_ to activate the Cryostasis tank and disturb the foetus until later on for faster developments-"

"Yes yes I remember the report." He brushed him off, like he didn't know what he was talking about. "But is it ready for stage 3?"

"No." he said quickly, almost desperately, Corey noticed. "It would die."

"Shit." He covered his mouth and looked deep in thought. His rugged beard was well overdue for a shave, his dark brown eye sharp, the left eye closed with a disfigured scare running vertically through it. It looked remarkably familiar, Kadolph thought. "My superiors need more than stage 2."

"We only reached stage 2 safely with this one last week. We need more time before it's ready to-"

"Dr Kadolph, I want more than half assed excuses." General Chirch spat. "We all have our jobs to do here, and I sincerely hope you are doing _yours._"

"Yes General." He bit back the urge to scowl. After all the things this man had forced him to do under the name of science and in bed with their motives, how _dare_ he insult his professionalism and efficiency as a scientist. Hell, he would be a _professor_ by now, had he not been stuck on this damn station all his life. Doing _their_ dirty work.

"Good. I'm glad to hear it. Good day to you, gentlemen." He nodded curtly, and marched off with his head high and leaving Dr Kadolph scowling, and Corey not much happier.

"…sir?"

"To the lab Corey." He took a deep drag of his cigarette. Somehow, he _knew_ today was going to be a looooong day. "It's time to see how our baby is doing."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

_Mother Pauk-de!_

Kantra smacked against the training wall 2ft in the air. _Again. _

This morning Cetanu had already been showered and dressed in his full Awu'asa before she'd woken up. As she was showering, he was laying out a leather hanging dress for her and barking commands into his wrist bracer.

When she returned from the bathroom, expecting him to give her some sort of lewd glance or try to tease her about 'mates should get showers together', or, 'don't let me stop you getting dressed', he simply told her to report to the 5th training hall as he'd booked it (like anyone would deny the clan leader the hall) and she was to join him as soon as she as dressed.

When she arrived her suspicions that her mate was not any better than the day before were re-affirmed when she tried to place her hand on his arm affectionately. He brushed her off and impassively ordered her to take a stance, and be ready for his attack.

That was 3 hours ago.

Now she ached everywhere. This 'training session' seemed to resemble a beating. No matter how hard she tried to dodge his swiping tail or block his thunderous fists, she just ended up doing the same thing every time.

Colliding with the wall.

"DAMN IT!" Another wall. "Will you just let me get my pauking breath already?"

"**The Kainde Amedha will not give you reprieve. Why should I?"** Cetanu stood before her arms crossed, towering above her like a fearsome tower. **"You want to go on your Chiva? You can't even block a punch! I have no weapons and you can't even-"**

"This isn't fair! You're not training me!"

"**I'm not?" **

"No!" Kantra pushed herself up the wall until she could trust her feet to hold her. Her ribs felt heavy, probably bruised from all the impacts with the walls, and there was a metallic taste in her mouth. Which could only mean blood. "What you're doing is taking out your frustrations on me. There is nothing instructive about you beating the shit out of me. So I'm going to the infirmary and then I'm going home to rest. Thanks a lot for nothing." But he side stepped in front of her.

"**Did I say you could leave?"** Kantra hobbled right up to him, jumped up and pushed his shoulder.

"Did I _ask _your permission?" She then pushed herself forward and towards the door.

She couldn't believe he'd done this to her. All those times he'd promised to train her and this is what he had in mind? It would have been quicker to list what _wasn't _throbbing with pain.

_My eyes? Don't think my eyes hurt...my face does though._

"**As your mate and your master, I command you to stay and resume your-don't you DARE leave! Kantra! KANTRA!"**

She was gone.

Out the door, down the corridor and off to see the doctor.

It was humiliating, all these hunters seeing her hobbling. No one could deny that she'd just had her ass handed to her.

What pissed her off the most though was how easily she had been owned. By her asshole of a mate.

_I'll never hurt you my ass._

Even as she sat there being prodded and poked with only the gods know what to see if she was ok, and then the inevitable of being shot with some sort of needle (the Yautja like their syringes), she still couldn't shake her anger.

The fact that Cetanu was obviously following her didn't help matters.

He was either furious with her (likely) and going to wait till they were alone in their room to have his two cent at her, or he was feeling guilty and he wanted to see if she was alright.

Kantra was so angry she didn't care to find out which it was. She simply walked into their room, got changed despite him stood behind her and climbed into bed.

The entire day had been an infuriating waste of time.

She'd gotten up to get injured and go back to bed. _Pauking wonderful. _

The pain killer the doctor had given her seemed to be doing its job. _Wonder if I can pretend that he gave me a sleeping drug so I can ignore his ranting...?_

He stood there a moment, wondering just what he should say to her.

"**I'm sorry I hurt you."**

Kantra screwed up her aching face into the pillow, her back to him and her bottom lip firmly out.

"**Kantra? I didn't do what I did to hurt you but prove a point. You are very weak in comparison to me. I was going easy on you and you couldn't-"**

"Easy? Like PAUK that was you going _easy_!" she didn't look up from her pillow. He could yell at the back of her red mane for all she cared. It was probably the only thing of her visible at this point.

"**But..."** He sighed, clearly frustrated. **"You want to go on a Chiva on that new planet we've found. You are simply not ready."**

"...could have simply said so instead of beating me up..."

"**I didn't beat you up!"** Cetanu barked, sitting on the bed next to her. **"I will quickly lose my temper with you if you don't stop saying I-"**

"Good. Because I'm really pauking mad with you right now. You could have just said you didn't want me putting my name on the roster for the hunt. I may have put my name on it when I heard yesterday but I could just as easily take it down."

"**I already did." **

Kantra bolted upright, fixing her glare right at him.

"You had no _right_ to-"

"**I'm your mate; I have every right to have a decision in anything that could get you killed."**

"You're going to pull the I'm your mate card?"

"**Yes."** Cetanu folded his arms across his chest and stared at her through his mask. The problem with this situation was they were both as stubborn as each other. And if he didn't change the subject soon, one of them would say something horrid. And Kantra had weapons he couldn't see, or defend against. **"So-"**

"You're my captor not my mate." Kantra spat. Yanking a pillow from behind her and smacking him in the head with it. "You _took_ me, knowing there was no possible way for me to win, keep me captive in your room, _force _me to lay next to you, and now you decide everything I do?"

Oh, she went there.

"**You promised me you wouldn't say things like that to me again."** Cetanu backed away from the bed, standing like an ominous spectre. He could have been a statue, except his chest had started to heave as he panted, his rage building to the breaking point. Things were very quickly escalating out of control, along with his temper. **"You **_**promised**_** me we could start again. That you didn't hate me and you might even like me. How could you go back on your promise? Where is your **_**honour? **_**Are you really that fickle and spiteful?"**

"You are the bastard here! You think I'm going to play happy mates with you after you beat me up like a monster to prove a-"

"**I am NOT a monster!"** He roared at her, a Xenomorphic screech emerging from his mandibles, his tail whipping round and smashing a glass off the table. The pieces flew at her, cutting her hands as she tried to protect her face. Most of the shards scratched her palms and wrists and fell to the bed tainted red. Two larger pieces stabbed the outside of her left palm; another had gotten through her fingers and sliced straight across her left cheek. Immediately Cetanu launched himself over to her. **"Kantra! I-I'm so sorry! Are you ok? You're bleeding, I'll just-"**

"Don't you **dare **touch me. Can't you do _anything _without hurting me?" Kantra spat darkly, shuffling on her bum to the edge of the bed. Cetanu tried to reach for her, but she screamed at him. "Back off!"

She hobbled into the bathroom, remembering there was a set of tweezers in the bathroom cabinet.

The soft sound of sobbing halted her in her tracks as she reached with her good hand for the tweezers.

As much as she was angry with him...as much as he deserved to feel like C'jit...there was a voice in the back of her head that wouldn't leave her alone.

_He didn't mean to hurt me. He meant to kick my ass this morning but nothing vital was hurt. Just bruised. He didn't mean for this to happen...and I __did__ piss him off. He always flips out when I point out how exactly I got here..._

She screamed in her mouth and kicked the sink.

He deserves to feel bad. He was a bastard. He broke his promise too, to treat her better and give her freedoms. _He broke his promise first damn it!_

But the sound of his whimpering wouldn't leave her alone. It was hushed, like he was crying into something, like a pillow or his hands. She wished he would just shut up or go away.

But where else would the great Cetanu cry? It wasn't like he could go anywhere else without the rest of the ship seeing him. It was pathetic really, seeing a mighty creature like Cetanu hate himself so much. _I called him a monster..._

With his appearance it was likely he was hounded by that word a lot growing up. _Real nice Kantra._

Kantra held the tweezers and looked at the glass in her left hand. There was a steady stream of blood running down her arm, parting like little rivers to her elbow. It would have probably hurt a hell of a lot more had the doc not given her pain killers...

"Hay, you stupid Pauk-de! I'm losing blood in here! How long are you going to keep me waiting?"

She bit the inside of her mouth, trying desperately to reign in her temper.

"**You...called?"** Kantra stood for a moment, both arms raised from the elbow up, left arm covered in blood and the right hand holding tweezers. She took a deep breath, and turned to face him.

"You _want_ me to bleed to death?"

"**No! I-" **

"Then get me some damn towels." She looked him in the eyes, seeing a tormented pain there in his red depths.

He had discarded his Awu'asa and his mask in the bedroom. First time in a few days since she'd actually seen his face. Seeing the self loathing in his expression tempered her anger considerably. He just stood in the doorway, as if afraid to come inside. But finally he moved.

"**...right."** He fumbled around in the bedroom and came back with a large towel and some bandages.

"PAUK me." Kantra hissed through her teeth, yanking one of the shards of glass out and dropping it in the sink. She took a series of sharp breaths and pulled out the other one. Cetanu quickly pressed the towel to her arm as the blood was flowing more freely now the glass wasn't acting like a plug. "Pauk that hurts!"

"**It's going to, especially if you keep squirming."** It was difficult to press the towel to her wounds when she kept moving her arm back and forth. Without simply tightening his grip around her of course.

"But it HURTS!"

"**And you think that you could go on a Chiva when **_**this**_** is unbearable pain for you?"** Cetanu spat, looking under the towel to see the cuts.

"Be seen and not heard, _please. _I don't have anything nice to say to you right now." Kantra yanked the bandages out of his hand, earning a pained look, and finally pulling her arm away from him too. "Give me the sealing patches."

"**I'll do it."**

"No, you _won't._" They locked eyes, and apparently her green orbs were fiercer, as he handed them over. "_Thank you._" She ground through her teeth, and applied the patches over her cuts. They bound to her skin, sealing the wound instantly. She wet a corner of the towel and wiped her arm clean. Before she could blink Cetanu had yanked the bandages back, and was wrapping them around her hand and arm. "Hay!"

"**You're my mate and this was my fault."**

"Well, one of those statements is certainly true." She tried to pull her arm back but he resisted, and fastened the end of the bandage.

"**I'm sorry. For everything. I just wanted you to realise you weren't ready for the Chiva and intensify your training. I've seen you looking at the vacancy board every time we pass it. I want it to be a long time until you sign up."**

"Why? So you can keep me here so I don't become blooded? So I can be your little captive for a year so I have no choice but to stay with you to go on hunts? No other clan would have me after all, being Ooman and the daughter of an ETA." She glared with all she was worth, but faltered.

Cetanu pulled his hands back like she had literally burnt him. He gulped, trying to prevent himself from showing weakness in front of her. But his eyes and his voice betrayed him.

"**I've never had anyone to care for. I just wanted to keep you safe."** He closed his eyes and rose to his feet turning swiftly and heading for the door. **"I'm sorry."** It was barely a whisper but she heard it. It reached out and grabbed her in the chest like a cold vice. She was running for the door before she could blink.

But as she ran into the bedroom, she was faced with a closing door, and no Cetanu.

She didn't know how long she stared at the door for, before she simply touched her face. The cut on her left cheek was a long line, but it was very shallow. Only a small amount of blood escaped before it had clotted over. It would probably scar though.

Before she realised it she was sobbing so hard her ribs screamed at her in complaint. She sank to her knees and pressed her face into her hands, ignoring the pain that caused. At a time like this, all she wanted was her mother to hold her and tell her everything would be ok. Her Guan or Dachinde to laugh it off with her like it was nothing. Guan would probably ridicule her...Dachinde would think her wounds were cool and wish she had scars too.

But she had no one on this ship.

All she had was Cetanu.

And she wasn't sure she even had him anymore.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Hiya guys, DD here. It's been a long time I know. My love for writing and all things pred-a-licious never left, but my free time did with uni demanding my every moment! I'm back and I'll be updating nice a regular so for those who missed this story, I'm sorry. For those who've just read it, pretend I was a good updating author and ignore this bit ^.^

Thanks again to all the wonderful reviews. They do motivate me to keep going!

_And now for the chapter..._

That morning held a mixture of emotions for Kantra. She had woken up that morning in a bed that wasn't her own. Just when she got used to the forced situation with Cetanu, he moved like a freaking ninja in the night and fekking _moves her_ in her sleep..._again._

_This is getting old, really fast._

The room she woke up in was tiny in comparison to Cetanu's master chambers. The walls were bare bronze metal. There was one armour rack in the corner of the room at the end of the tiny single bed with plain white sheets and one pillow. Her Staff weapon was on a rack on the wall, next to the empty Awu'asa stand. Next to that was a small wardrobe, with draws at the bottom. To the left was a small kitchen area. That was it.

She was in the economy accommodation section, where all the unblooded and newly blooded hunters lived.

As she jumped out of bed and found her clothing had also been moved with her, all hung up or neatly folded in her wardrobe, she found a tablet on the kitchenette counter.

"_Now you have your freedom. Earn it. You are now on your own."_

And therein came the mixture of emotions.

Kantra paced her room, which consisted of 3 steps either way, holding the tablet. No matter how many times her emerald eyes scanned over the sentence, she still couldn't fathom the meaning of it. Cetanu had always been very clear that she was his. He'd 'won her' fair and square. She had been forced to stay in his room, in his bed, and do everything she was told to do. Hell, he freaked out the one time she went off on her own to play with Bakkub and Paya.

And yesterday was the worst day so far. Despite agreeing to try again, it was a breaking moment.

Maybe he'd had enough of her. It was obvious that she'd been kicked out to fend for herself. At first she was livid. That bastard kept moving her in her sleep, avoiding actually talking to her about their problems and threw her out because he'd had enough of her. thrown her out like trash. Kantra hissed, her mane of crimson hair whipping around her as she span on the spot to stare at her bronze staff. She _so_ wanted to grab her staff, find him, and clock him one and call him an idiot. Sure she was pissed about him beating the shit out of her yesterday to make a point. And then the little 'accident' afterwards. Kantra traced her finger tips over the cut on her left cheek. It wasn't deep enough to need anything but cleaning, but it would scar. Right now it was just red and angry. Her hands stung now, but the bandages were holding up pretty well. She sank back onto her bed, dropping the tablet next to her.

"_You are now on your own."_

Alone...

Her anger turned to fear of the unknown. At least with Cetanu she knew no one would dare touch her. she knew she was at least safe. Now she wasn't sure of anything.

A bang on her door snapped her out of it, and without thinking she ran to it and pressed the button for it to open. For a moment she hoped dearly it was Cetanu, having changed his mind about dumping her here and letting her fend for herself.

But alas, the Yautja at the door was someone she had never seen before.

She was very tall, with very pale cream skin and what looked like dark brown leopard spots framing the outside of her body, her face, the inside of her thighs and cleavage. Her eyes were golden and shimmering. Her dreadlocks were chocolaty brown and long down her back. She wore nothing but tatty brown leather shorts and a bakini to pack her large creamy breasts into.

"You're the Ooman everyone's been talking about." She stated. Even her voice was pretty, with a delicately husky tone to it. Her perly white tusk tipped mandibles clicked together softly as she spoke.

This was Kantra however. She didn't exactly _do_ polite very well when in the face of A, danger, B, trapped in a corner, or C, rudeness. She was feeling a little of all of the above, so did her usual trick.

"What, no camera? If you've come to be nosy you should have at least brought to a camera to take pictures of the freak show to twitter about to your friends later." The Yautja cocked her head to one side, and actually grinned.

"Name?"

"Why should I?" Kantra folded her arms over her chest, narrowing her green orbs on this strange woman.

"Because if you tell me your name, I'll tell you mine." She put her large hands on her hips and looked down at her. She kind of had to being 8ft tall, whereas Kantra was barely 7.

"And _why_ should I want to know your name?" Kantra countered, putting _her_ hands on _her _hips, cocking _her _head to one side so her red locks fell forward.

"Because you bad tempered little pauk-de, I can't be friends and train with someone if I don't know their pauking _name_." She then made a point of looking around her room over her shoulder. "Your room is like mine. I got recruited from the capital by the scouts. I'm from the Cutting-Blade academy myself. Just arrived by shuttle last night. You?" Kantra didn't answer straight away, sizing the Yautja beauty up. Then she clicked her tongue against her teeth with frustration. She seemed stubborn. And if anything...she could use a friend.

Unless Cetanu had sent her to keep an eye on her?

"I was recruited from a bath house. We made a deal so I have a year to prove my salt. I've not been here long myself." The best lies afterall, were mostly the truth. And it was a way to test how she reacted to the yarn she told.

"A bath house? That's not an academy. You mean an _actual_ bath house?" She flicked her dreads over her shoulder and looked at her sceptically, before shrugging. "You must be good then to have caught a scout's attention from a _bath house._"

"Apparently." Kantra had heard of the Cutting-Edge academy. The richest of families paid a fortune to send their children there to get scouted by the top clans. She must _also_ be very skilled with her background.

"Well, then we should stick together then. I'll overlook the fact your ooman."

"Oh how _nice_ of you." Kantra raised a brow and contemplated shutting the door in her pretty little face...

"People don't usually like me as I'm a bit of a bitch-"

"Noticed."

"- but I heard you're a bitch too. And most of the other unbloodeds were all born into this clan. The Cor'ja don't _usually _recruit outside their own. I understand you and I are the only ones where have been recruited not inherited."

"Interesting."

"_Come on_." She clicked, obviously getting pissed at not having her own way. "I _want_ to be friends. I _never_ want to be friends. That should _mean _something. _And_ I want to train with you. Good luck getting anyone else since your an outsider!"

"UUUuuuuuh!" Kantra moaned. As much as she wasn't in the mood for this...she was right. And she _could_ do with the training partner and friendship. As strained as it might be. "Fine. My name is Kantra."

"I'm Naxa." Kantra started to snicker in her throat and bent over. "Yeah, I know. Like the fruit, still, get over it." She grumped, looking off to one side, the faintest hint of a blush on her cheeks.

"Alright. I'll overlook the fact you're a rich little girl named after a fruit, since you're going to overlook that I'm an ooman."

"Deal. Now I'm hungry. You know where the canteen is?"

"Sure, let me just get changed."

"Fine." Naxa leaned a shoulder against the wall by the door, and Kantra closed the door on her.

_Ok...that was...__interesting__..._

Kantra jumped in the shower, behind the kitchen she discovered, pulled on a brown leather halter top and matching shorts. She then slipped some brown pumps on, and towelled her hair as dry as it would go without making her new 'friend' get pissy for having had to wait so long.

"Right, this way Naxa." She ignored the bored look she got and lead the way. As they entered the enormous hall that was the canteen and joined the cue for food, she couldn't help but scan the hall for 'you know who'.

Sure enough, right at the back of the hall was his ominous dark form. he was surrounded by the most elite of hunters, and the clan elders, twittering to him about something. But he was staring...

...at her.

"What the _hell_ are you doing?" Kantra was startled when Naxa grabbed her shoulder and yanked her back to face the food line. "That's _the_ Cetanu!" She hushed in her ear. "You know, the leader of the Cor'ja clan? Don't _stare_ at him!"

"Oh, sorry."

"By the Gods I'm going to have a heart attack watching your back, aren't I?"

"I won't do it again." Kantra grinned to herself. It was kinda nice, seeing that Naxa was a nice person underneath the blunt bitch exterior. "I hear the Konga meat here is pretty good for a ship menu."

"I'll have a tray of that then. Haven't had anything but salted jerky for weeks."

"Eew, I _hate_ that." Kantra smiled, and Naxa rolled her eyes at her.

They filled their plates with Konga strips, fried crispy high calorie meat taken from a wild Konga beast. They resembled large bison, except they didn't have horns or fur, just big black scales. They were _damn_ tasty though...

Neither of the women talked as they stuffed their faces, so Kantra couldn't be blamed when her eyes wandered over towards the head table again.

Cetanu had left at some point. She couldn't see him anywhere. She ignored the pang of disappointment, as it was masked with bitter anger at being chucked away.

Again.

"So Kantra. What's your fighting style?"

"I use speed, daggers and a large staff with small maces at either end. You?"

"I'm a heavy hitter. I have reinforced bracers with front wrist blades _and_ elbow blades."

"Oooo." Kantra couldn't help herself as she grinned at her. "You _are_ going to bring those to training, right?"

"I would...but I don't have any Awu'asa yet. And I'm assuming you're the same?"

"Yeah, no Awu'asa until you're blooded." Kantra grumbled, sharing Naxa's disappointment.

"I want to get my skills sharp, but then I want to go on the cool Chiva coming up next month."

"Ooo, where's that?" Kantra smiled, and Naxa seemed to be responding quite well to her company, also releasing the odd smile of her own.

"On Delta Vader 3. It's a Dengo infested planet. I want to kick ass, and bring back enough of their claws to make a necklace, or have enough to attach one to the tips of all my dreads."

"That would be pretty cool." Kantra smiled, imagining herself with a necklace of beautiful red talons. They would match her hair no problem.

"Then you and I should sign up together. I'm not carrying your ass if you're not blooded when I am."

"Oh I see." Kantra giggled, and nodded. "Alright, it's a deal."

"Right, I'm stuffed." Naxa pushed her plate away from her and patted her belly. "Time to train."

"Alright, training it is."

Man that was a good work out session.

Naxa did _not _hold back. And she _defiantly _had skills! She wasn't kidding when she said she was a heavy hitter. When she landed a punch it knocked the seven bells of shit out of her. Kantra was still a little bruised from her 'session' with Cetanu, so it stung even more when Naxa connected. She'd feel dizzy and have to very quickly catch her breath or she'd get another hiding. Kantra wasn't useless though.

Whereas Naxa had put on training gloves to simulate her bracers for punching, Kantra had pulled a training staff off the wall and got quite a lot of hits in herself. Naxa's delicate creamy skin had deep brown welts on her legs, shoulders and abdomen as evidence that Kantra was not a light weight.

If anything having been beaten up by Cetanu made Kantra more cautious about letting a Yautja hit her. She knew first hand now how much it hurt if you let a punch or kick land on her little ooman body. It forced her to calculate whether or not it would be worth getting in close, or if she could get away with a long ranged attack. It made her grateful she had trained all these years with a staff, rather than with long daggers or her fists.

After 3 hours of sparing at full throttle she was covered in bruises and sweat. Her breathing hurt as much as the rest of her, and she was panting. But she was smiling from ear to ear. She'd learn quite a lot sparing with Naxa, and her tall friend was in the exact same state she was in.

"She won't land as many hits on me tomorrow bitch. You and that pauking stick!"

"Aaaw, a bit sore are we? Don't worry, I'm hurting too."

"You damn pauking RIGHT you are." Naxa was wobbling from one foot to the next as they walked out of the training hall. Kantra was holding her ribs and trying to ignore how much it hurt to laugh with her friend. She could see it happening now. Naxa clearly wasn't as nasty as she'd introduced herself to be. On those grounds, and how useful she was, and how amusing she was, Kantra decided that they _could_ be friends after all. "OOoooo I'm slick with sweat. It's the one thing I hate about training."

"I know right? I'm going back to my room to shower and sleep this off. Same time tomorrow?"

"Sure. Hay Kantra." The red head stopped and turned in the corridor to face the leopard spotted Yautja. "You're alright."

"Yeah, you too. For day 1 that is."

"Oh yeah, of course. There is a whole trail period to go yet." Kantra laughed and waved her goodbye, ignoring the dull ache it caused to move her arm above her head. Naxa was off to use the changing room showers. Kantra tended to avoid that sort of situation, even back at the bath house. Being only 7 feet tall her face was level with all the other girl's breasts. That was not a fun experience. And although she'd never admit it, it made her feel a bit inadequate seeing how beautiful some of the women were, compared to her.

She walked into her tiny room, closed the door, stripped off and dragged herself into the shower. She moaned as the cold water soothed her bruises, most of which were starting to turn a lovely purple colour. They would be a brown colour by the morning, and then gone by the afternoon. Her mother used to tell her how she had a very fast recover time for an ooman, but still slower than a Yautja. Naxa wouldn't have a mark on her come the morning.

As the water ran rivers down her skin Kantra cleansed her body and her thoughts. Naxa would prove to be quite interesting. That whole 'overlook you're an ooman' thing was clearly bullshit. She didn't care she was ooman. Which was actually quite nice. It's quite fitting that She was named after a Naxa berry now that she thought about it. The skin was very tough and bitter, but if you could break the skin, the flesh and juices were very sweet. The thought of Naxa being a sweetheart on the inside was enough to make her bark a laugh, only to wince at the pain it caused.

She stepped out of the shower, towel dried her hair for the second time that day and then wrapped the huge white towel around her middle. As she stepped out of the bathroom into her kitchenette and bedroom however...

...Cetanu was sat on her bed. His massive form made the bed almost look like a chair. His elbows were on his knees and his fingers were threaded together. He was dressed in his full black Awu'asa, mask and cloak and all. His penetrating gaze was fixed on her from the moment she walked into the room.

To begin with Kantra was so shocked at his sudden presence, she just stood there and said nothing. Then she cleared her throat and held her towel to her chest tightly.

"Afternoon. Feel free to come in and sit down whilst I get changed." Kantra rolled her eyes, hating how awkward this felt. She should get mad and start yelling at him, like she usually did. But to be honest, she quite liked the situation she had now found herself in. This morning she found the thought of being down her on her own daunting. Having spent the day doing and going where she pleased, she couldn't be happier. There was no anger, no awkwardness, not emotional strife. Just good old fashioned fun and training. She felt she'd made progress today, and looked forward to training tomorrow. _And _she'd made a much needed friend. Who didn't care she was Ooman.

Kantra retrieved a black fabric dress that had a nigh neck, no arms, came down to her ankles and had a slit either side up to her mid thigh. The material was plain, feminine and very comfortable. She didn't bother to go to the bathroom to change.

_Hell, Cetanu has pretty much seen everything I've got anyway. _She also didn't bother putting on any underwear. She just dropped the towel in front of him, pulled the dress on over her head, shimmied it down her body, picked up the towel and pressed it to her hair. Her face held an indifferent expressed as she looked at him.

With that mask on she couldn't tell if he had a reaction to her little 'display' or not. Neither did she give a damn. "Right, now Lord Cetanu. How can I help you?" He looked off to one side for a moment. _Was he thinking about what he's going to say to me? He didn't really ambush me in my new room without thinking through a game plan, did he?_

Apparently so.

**"Did you have a productive training session today?"**

"Yes I did, thank you for asking." She kept her tone light and polite. She was talking to the leader of her clan. That's all. _Keep that thought and you'll be fine Kantra._

**"You appear to be injured."**

"Oh this? No I'm fine. Bruises are expected in serious training."

**"And your...other injuries?"** Kantra raised a brow at him and resisted the urge the grin at him. _that's _the real reason he was here. To check up on her injuries. Because he felt guilty. _Just my leader just my leader._

"They have healed quite nicely my lord." Cetanu finally looked at her and said nothing. Kantra started to feel very uncomfortable under his heavy gaze, particularly since she couldn't see his eyes. His crimson eyes always held his true intentions. They never hid anything from her, intentionally or not. She wondered if that's why he kept his mask on, to hide his feelings from her. it seemed he was desperately trying to keep this professional, and that was fine by her. "Is there...anything _else_ you need from me my lord?"

**"No."** Cetanu rose to his full height and took a step towards her. Kantra instinctively stumbled backwards into the kitchen to get out of his way. It was only after he stopped and stared at her again, she realised he'd been heading for her, not the door. **"I need nothing from you."** He spat suddenly, clearly offended by the way she backed away from him. He stormed out and didn't bother to close the door behind him, his long obsidian skeletal tail being the last thing she saw as it swung out of sight.

Kantra walked over to the door and pressed the button to close it before she released a sigh of relief.

"_Man_ that was weird." Kantra ran a hand back through her messy damp red hair and made her way over to her bed.

It was still warm...

The red headed temptress growled to herself, throwing herself onto her back until she could glare up at the ceiling. Her fists beat the bed by her sides once, just to get some more frustration out. why did he always manage to drive her crazy? He hardly spoke to his this time, but still managed to piss her off. what the _hell_ was his problem? "Asshole. Pauking Asshole." Maybe Cetanu thought she was going to beg him to take her back after one day. Did he really think so little of her? "Asshole!"

Kantra allowed herself to wallow in her fury for a few moments, before she signed, allowing her aching body to relax into the cheap bed beneath her. She grabbed the tablet of the bedside cabinet and connected to the wireless shipwide hub. She made quick work of looking at the upcoming hunt lists and found the one Naxa spoke of earlier.

The Chiva on Delta Vader 3 had over 50 large Dengo packs on it, each pack being larger than a Hard Meat nest. They were over 10 feet tall, walked on all fours, dwelled in the desert, jungle and underground catacombs. Their colourings changed from each Dengo, but their hides were so thick that projectile weapons only grazed them. They had immense stamina to withstand damage, four large crimson talons on each padded foot, and on the front two legs two talons on the back of the feet too. They were carnivorous by nature and had three rows of sharp hard crimson teeth. All their bones were red, due to high iron mineral deposits stored in their bones. Even when the trophies were polished and cleaned, the red didn't drain from the bones. Their bodies were very feline in shape, with long legs, long backs and long tails. Due to the two suns near the planet the Dengo's had evolved with no fur, and used their stripped and spotted markings to attract mating partners. Their eyes were typical of a predator, on the front of their face and very big. They had a long snout and were very good at sniffing out their pray, or hunters.

There were several hunts happening on this planet, including a Chiva in one of the jungle areas. Kantra saw the list of registered attendees underneath the description of the Chiva hunt, and smiled when she saw both her name and Naxa's name had been added to the list. "Cheeky minx." She giggled and turned the tablet off. well, now she had a target. Something to aim for in her training. With that she closed her eyes, intending to just rest for a moment, to fall into a deep sleep.

By the time she woke up it was the next morning, and her stomach was snarling at her for sustenance. Kantra made quick work of getting into fishnet body suit, brown leather shorts, pumps and this time a leather strapless corset. Her blood red hair shimmered down her back and her bruises were a pale brown now, and didn't hurt as much as she thought they would. Smiling as she checked herself out in the mirror, she was pleased with her rate of recovery. It was another 20 minutes before an inpatient banging on her door interrupted her train of thought.

"Hay Kantra. Get your ass out here."

"Coming!" She scuttled out quickly and grinned at Naxa, who was sporting a black leather boob tube and hanging skirt today. As she predicted, there wasn't a mark on the leggy Yautja. Her lower mandibles opened slightly, releasing a small smile, the twinkle of excitement in her golden eyes.

"Ready for food?"

"Hell yeah. I'm starving. I forgot to eat last night."

"Me too. Seems we share bad habits too." Naxa chuckled, and then surprised Kantra by hooking her arm with hers. "I want to know more about you. I feel that day two of our collaboration deserves some share and tell."

"Oh really? I kinda thought that would be a day 6 kinda thing?"

"Nope. Definitely day 2." The girls laughed as they entered the hall, only to bolt stiff as they nearly walked into the back of a very tall, very menacing figure. And to Kantra's dismay, the figure belonged to none other than Cetanu. He whipped round, mandibles spread wide, about to release his own brand of pissed, when he locked onto Kantra's white emerald eyes.

She just couldn't help herself.

"Morning." Naxa's golden eyes bugged out, and she snapped her head to look from Cetanu, to her friend, wondering if she had a death wish. "This is my friend Naxa." Cetanu closed his mandibles and looked to Naxa. Gave her a very business once over, folded her arms and narrowed his crimson eyes on her. Naxa gulped, and held onto her Ooman friend's arm very tight, letting her know she was _not_ happy about this development.

**"Are you providing Kantra with a decent challenge?"**

"...Yes sir. I mean-we are pretty evenly matched. Our styles are very different-sir-but-"

**"And you are her...friend?"** Cetanu looked from the shaking leopard spotted Yautja, to the red head.

"Yes she is, my lord." Kantra patted her friend's arm, and smiled up at him. "I am very grateful for her friendship and training. We've signed up for the Chiva next month." At that Cetanu's eyes widened, and he turned his gaze to glare at Naxa, his tail whipping madly behind him. "Wait, no, it's a good one!" Kantra stepped out of her friend's death grip and took his attention. "Delta Vader 3. Jungle Dengo territory." Cetanu's chest deflated, and he huffed, folding his arms unhappily over his front again. He was quite casually dressed this morning compared to yesterday in her room. Black fishnet suit, brown leather shorts, leather belts attaching his left hip to a leather shoulder guard on his right shoulder. He wore no cloak today, so his tail was almost the centre of attention is it flicked out behind him, a clear indicator of his foul mood.

**"Dengos. Will you be ready for that in a month's time?"**

"Yes my lord. _We _will." Kantra stepped right up to him, and nodded. She then smiled, unknowingly disarming him with her bright green eyes. "I just want to say thank you for this opportunity to prove myself and become a blooded hunter of the Cor'ja clan." She then bowed, and bounced back up, beaming a smile.

**"Well-you're welcome."** He coughed in his throat, getting uncomfortable. People were starting to stare. **"In two weeks time, I would like to watch you train."**

"I would prefer you didn't, my lord." Cetanu growled, and towered over her.

**"I said-"**

"I remember what you said, my lord. 'Here's your freedom. Earn it. You're on your own now.' Those words meant a lot to me my lord. They weren't 'empty' now, where they?"

**"...no...fine! But I'll be pissed if you get yourself killed for being an idiot!"** At that Cetanu stormed past Kantra, and pointed a long clawed finger right in Naxa's face. **"And you better be strong enough to train with her. Because by the _Gods_ if _you_ live and she doesn't, I'll kill you where you stand!"**

And with that, he was gone.

Kantra looked at her shell shocked friend and laughed nervously.

"So...I think I have something to contribute to that share and tell session you wanted to have...heh heh..."

Naxa didn't talk to her in the food cue. She didn't talk to her as they took their seats. She wouldn't even _look_ at her as they ate their food. After they downed a gallon of water, she moodily turned in her seat and had a brow raised at her.

"You know Cetanu _personally?_" Kantra pursed her lips together, trying to word this as best she could. She _did_ have to be careful not to say anything she shouldn't about their _beloved lord Cetanu._

"Yes and no. He...was the one who recruited me from the Hunters Rest and Bathhouse back on homeworld."

"Oh? And why would he do that?" Naxa narrowed her golden eyes on her, clearly still pissed at her.

"...because...for some reason...I impressed him?"

"And?"

"We made a deal. I have to prove myself within a year. If this life...isn't for _me..._then I'll have to go back to being a servant in the bathhouse." Kantra grabbed her chalice and gulped down water as Naxa stared at her, processing this information.

"That still doesn't explain why he gives a crap if you pass your Chiva or not. So much so...that my life is in danger if you don't...? And your explanation for that is?" Kantra closed her eyes tight, as if hoping when she opened them, Naxa would have completely forgotten the situation, and dropped it. When awkward emerald orbs locked with fiery golden ones, it was clear there was no escape for her.

"Right, ok." Kantra turned to face her and leaned forward. "But you can't tell everyone what I'm about to tell you. And seriously, I thought this would be day 20 stuff so be nice to me."

"...fine. I like you so I'll probably just forgive you anyway. Can't be bothered to make a new friend or whatever..."

That was the closest Naxa was going to get to 'you can tell me anything because I'm your friend and I care about you.

It was ok, Kantra could read between the lines.

"Cetanu challenged me and in my...hotheadedness and pride...I accepted without thinking it through. We were in an arena with lines drawn at either side. One behind each of us. The aim was to fight and push or carry the other person over their line. I was terrified of him at the time so I agreed, as he promised if I won, he'd leave me and my family the hell _alone_. If he won...I would agree to...become his mate."

Naxa's eyes bugged out so wide, Kantra thought they were actually going to pop out of her head. Her creamy mandibles were spread wide. She clearly hadn't expected that. "Listen, I was driven out of my mind with fear and adrenaline and I didn't fully understand the capabilities of the person I was facing. He kicked my ass, and in my unconscious state the day after, carried me away without letting me say goodbye to my family. I was pretty pissed for a while about that. But he apologised. He thought I wouldn't go with him if he didn't so..."

Naxa's mandibles were slowly closing and she was nodding, captivated by this amazing story. "Well, I'm a bit of a bitch that doesn't like being tricked, carried and deposited anywhere whilst unconscious, which he's done a few times, or being trapped in a corner. So I might have...been an utter bitch to him in revenge..."

"...might meaning you were, right?" Kantra looked to one side guiltily and nodded.

"I said some things, he said some things, he accidentally hurt me, and then I said something...really bad."

"...to Cetanu. You said something _really bad_ to Cetanu? You really aren't afraid of him, are you?" Naxa shook her head in disbelief. "He could snap you like a twig woman!"

"I guess I know Cetanu will never _intentionally_ hurt me. Just accidentally." She chuckled sadly, still feeling awful about calling him a monster. "And that only happened after I said the really bad thing."

"So bad you can't say it?"

"...yeah..."

"Damn." Naxa looked ahead of her in deep thought for five whole minutes. Kantra was worried she was going to get up and leave, when the spotted warrioress turned to face her again. "So basically, you're in the dog house?" Kantra blinked a few times, then nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so. But to be honest, I think this was a really good move, separating us. We just kept hurting each other. Besides, all _I_ ever wanted was to become a huntress and get lots of honour for my family. I have a Yautja mum back home...and two sisters pretty much."

"I have 7 brothers and 3 sisters. I can't stand _any_ of them. I just wanted to go into a different clan to them!"

At that they looked at each other and laughed.

"So, are we ok? And don't worry about Cetanu. He wouldn't dare hurt you. I'd kill him first!" Naxa shook her head at her naive little Ooman friend.

"Sure, I feel a _whole lot better now_, thanks."

"At least say it like you mean it Naxa!" the girls giggled, finishing their water. Naxa shook her shoulder affectionately, and wiped a tear from her eye.

"We're good. I still like you. And I also came to this clan so I could have a really hot, sexy, strong, wealthy Cor'ja man-meat as my mate one day."

"Oh, I see." Kantra snickered behind her hands, only to receive a swat upside her head. "Ouch, we're not in the training hall yet!"

"Stop complaining Doghouse. We're going there now. I gotta make sure you pass your Chiva, remember? Or Cetanu will Kill me where a stand? You can't shake your ass to protect me from the other side moron. Come on, off we go!"

And off they went to the training hall, where Kantra received many playful taunts such as 'and how would the schematics match up then? Would he lay down, you mount him and he'd spin you?' and 'I hope Ooman fetishes isn't a common Cor'ja trait or I'm never gonna get screwed!'

Many hours later Kantra was once again, bruised and sore everywhere, but very satisfied that she had given it as good as she'd taken it. This time Kantra had a bloody nose, and was escorting her good friend to the infirmary with a broken lower right mandible.

"Damn pauking stick!"

"Don't talk precious, you'll make it hurt more. Just relax and let the doctor make your face all pretty again." The girls laughed at each other, getting blood down their fronts as they cackled. Kantra was on one examination table, and Naxa the next one.

"Well, we've shed each other's blood. You know what that means right?"

"HHmm?" Kantra couldn't speak as her doctor was shoving some cold metal instrument up her nose to stop the bleeding.

"It means we have to be best friends. I know that's a day 40 thing, but I feel this trail period is going so well, I'll let you stick with me as the permanent friend. As a pity kind of thing."

Kantra chuckled, making some blood run down her throat and make her sputter slightly. "If you want, that is." To her doctor's dismay, Kantra started nodding just when he wanted to be up the other nostril. He clicked his mandibles at her and sternly told her to stay still.

Naxa's doctor nearly had his own mandibles broken when he suddenly snapped her mandible back into position and applied a gel that would fix it in place, and then degrade after the bone had perfectly healed itself.

It was truly a marvel the medical advancements the Yautja had made. There would be no scars in either case. They only wanted scars from their victorious and epic hunts, after all.

After the doctors finally let them leave, both girls have an early night. Their bodies were bruised and begging for rest. This hard core training thing took a lot out of you! It was like your body demanded a ridiculous about of sleep to recover afterwards. Tomorrow would be their day off though. And Naxa had _told_ her she was going to go shopping to the high street with her tomorrow. Kantra didn't even know there was a high street aboard the Cor'ja mother ship. Apparently all the traders sold there in the clan, and travelling hunting parties and traders docked to do business there. Naxa mumbled something about wanting to get new bolts for her hair before she left Kantra to stumble to her bed. Kantra remembered wondering if she could get her hair braided tomorrow as she slipped into a much welcomed deep sleep.


End file.
